Governor Kathy Hochul put New York’s shoplifters “on notice” Wednesday: “We’re coming after you… We’ve had enough.”
Amid a spike in retail theft around New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Feb. 14 proposed $45 million in new spending to crack down on shoplifting.
From 2017 to 2023, reported incidents of shoplifting have risen by an eye-popping 50% in the Big Apple, which comes despite rates of many other crimes falling. Last year alone, police arrested around 25,000 shoplifters across the five boroughs, though the city saw approximately 64,000 stores get looted during that time, according to police data.
With the majority of shoplifting crimes going unpunished, store owners are often left with no recourse, said organizers with the Collective Action to Protect Our Stores (CAP).
“As a result, shoplifting is vastly underreported and shopkeepers are putting themselves in harm’s way to resolve altercations,” the group said.
In addition to potential harm and loss of revenue, some business owners blame the rise of “five-fingered discounts” for stores closing entirely, like Rite Aid, which shuttered four locations in New York after seeing a $5 million revenue decline related to theft in 2022, compared with the previous year.
That not only harms businesses, but also eliminates jobs that were once a major lifeline for lower-income residents.
Hochul on Wednesday spoke about the helplessness felt by local businesses, and the demoralizing effect shoplifting has on the general public.
“People deserve to be able to walk their streets, go to their shops, go in their stores safely, purchase their products, go back home without an incident, and our shop workers deserve to feel that they are protected,” she said. “And I know that we can make a difference.”
‘Retail Theft Joint Operation’
Amid a series of proposals to reign in lawlessness inside local stores, Hochul announced the creation of a “Retail Theft Joint Operation” that will serve as a central hub to coordinate various law enforcement agencies in New York — helping to track down repeat offenders, break-up organized crime rings, and assist with prosecutions.
Working under the umbrella of that unified task force, the State Police will get $25.2 million to form a new “Smash and Grab Enforcement Unit,” which will feature cops dedicated full-time towards building cases against organized retail theft rings, the governor said.
“By expanding our resources, we can solve crimes more quickly, and also prevent future incidents,” said Steven James, the head of the state police. “We recognize the critical role that these resources play in solving and addressing the crimes that impact our neighborhoods and communities daily.”
An additional $10 million of the newly-promised funds will go towards local District Attorneys, allowing them to form “Retail Theft Teams” dedicated solely towards holding perpetrators accountable, Hochul announced.
“Retail theft endangers store employees, shoppers, and devastates our community, especially when businesses close,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. “Gov. Hochul’s funding for DAs to prosecute property crimes and deploy retail theft teams will support our efforts immensely.”
Meanwhile, $5 million will go directly towards business owners with a new “Commercial Security Tax Credit” designed to help offset the cost of increased store security measures.
Tightening laws on hot goods resale
While the governor’s administration can launch many of those initiatives without legislative approval, she also noted the need for Albany lawmakers to change the criminal code in New York to help crack down on the shoplifting epidemic.
One proposed law would criminalize the sale of stolen goods by third-party merchants, as many shoplifters profit by slinging their contraband in the underground market.
Manhattan State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal has introduced legislation to that effect, saying it would severely reduce the profitability of shoplifting.
“The legislation would make it a criminal offense to foster the sale of stolen goods on the internet,” he said. “It will force third-party sellers, like Facebook and Amazon, to enact better safeguards to prevent these exchanges from occurring on their platforms, or face the legal consequences.”
Hochul also asked lawmakers to increase penalties for assaulting retail workers, as those crimes have risen in concert with the explosion in shoplifting.
“In the Senate, I have advocated for legislation to elevate the assault of a retail worker to a Class D Felony — because I understand just how important it is to protect New Yorkers from violent crimes,” said Staten Island state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton. “Our retail workers and small businesses here in New York are just trying to make ends meet, and retail theft truly threatens their financial well-being and safety.”
Read more: Hochul Boosts Funding for Early Intervention
