What's happening
This bill amends the penal law to increase penalties for organized retail theft, especially when stolen goods exceed $1,000 in value.
Why it matters
Expands felony theft charges to organized retail theft. By specifically adding theft from retail stores—especially when the theft is coordinated by multiple individuals or occurs over multiple episodes—this law targets organized crime rings rather than just isolated shoplifting incidents.
Aggregates value over multiple incidents. The bill allows prosecutors to combine the value of stolen goods from different thefts (within 60 days) and/or from multiple stores, making it easier to reach felony thresholds and pursue harsher charges against repeat offenders.
Focuses on large-scale and coordinated theft. By setting a $1,000 threshold and emphasizing thefts involving coordination between two or more people, the legislation aims to deter and punish sophisticated retail theft operations, rather than small-scale, individual thefts.
Potential impact on prosecution and deterrence. The bill gives law enforcement and prosecutors new tools to address the growing problem of organized retail crime, which can have significant economic impacts on businesses and communities, potentially leading to more robust prosecution and deterrence of these crimes.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Crack Down on Retail Theft
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
8 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6160
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CUSICK, GOTTFRIED, TITONE, GUNTHER, MAGNARELLI, CRESPO, COLTON, ZEBROWSKI, WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. MAGEE, SIMANOWITZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to the prevention of organized retail crime
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 9, 10 and 11 of section 155.30 of the penal law, subdivision 9 as amended by chapter 479 of the laws of 2010, subdivision 10 as added by chapter 491 of the laws of 1992 and subdivision 11 as added by chapter 394 of the laws of 2005, are amended and two new subdivisions 12 and 13 are added to read as follows:
9. The property consists of a scroll, religious vestment, a vessel, an item comprising a display of religious symbols which forms a representative expression of faith, or other miscellaneous item of property which:
(a) has a value of at least one hundred dollars; and
(b) is kept for or used in connection with religious worship in any building, structure or upon the curtilage of such building or structure used as a place of religious worship by a religious corporation, as incorporated under the religious corporations law or the education law[.]; or
10. The property consists of an access device which the person intends to use unlawfully to obtain telephone service[.]; or
11. The property consists of anhydrous ammonia or liquified ammonia gas and the actor intends to use, or knows another person that intends to use, such anhydrous ammonia or liquified ammonia gas to manufacture methamphetamine[.]; or
12. The property is stolen from a retail mercantile establishment as defined in section two hundred seventeen of the general business law and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00382-01-7
A. 6160 2
the aggregated value of price tags, sticker prices, or otherwise advertised retail prices of such property exceeds one thousand dollars; or
13. The property is stolen by one person, or by two or more persons working in association, from one or more than one retail mercantile establishment as defined in section two hundred seventeen of the general business law within a period of sixty days or less between the first and second episode, the second and third episode, or between any succeeding episodes, and the aggregated value of price tags, sticker prices, or otherwise advertised retail prices of such property exceeds one thousand dollars.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.