TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is looking to crack down on retail crime and porch piracy across the state.
On Tuesday, the governor announced a legislative plan to combat what he calls "the growing nationwide uptick of retail theft."
“If you commit a crime in Florida, you are going to be held accountable,” DeSantis said in a news release. “We will not tolerate retail crime, porch pirates and the lawlessness that they allow in California and New York.”
According to a report from the Council on Criminal Justice, major U.S. cities like New York and Los Angeles did see an increase in shoplifting reports from 2019 to 2023. However, the report says there is no clear national rise in shoplifting apart from those cities.
According to the council, several cities saw significant decreases in retail theft, including St. Petersburg, which saw a 78% decrease in shoplifting from 2019 to 2023.
The governor's office says shoplifting has decreased by 30% in Florida since DeSantis took office. This plan, DeSantis says, is meant to ensure that this trend continues.
DeSantis' proposal focuses on increasing penalties for retail theft-related crimes. It includes:
- Making it a third-degree felony to commit retail theft with five or more people,
- Making it a second-degree felony to use social media to solicit others to participate in retail theft,
- Making it a first-degree felony to commit retail theft with a firearm or with at least two prior retail theft convictions, and
- Reducing the stolen property value necessary to charge people with a felon for stealing a delivered package.
“Florida is a law-and-order state, and we take action when we see concerning crime trends that could harm Floridians,” Attorney General Ashley Moody said. “We are leaders in the fight against organized retail theft, and I’m thrilled to stand with Governor DeSantis today to continue our goal of stopping theft by supporting legislation to stamp out porch piracy.”