Tougher laws on retail theft, property crime to take effect in 2025

A number of new state laws addressing organized retail theft and property crime that impose stiffer penalties and lift restrictions on police and prosecutors are set to take effect in 2025, the governor’s office announced Monday in a campaign to highlight new legislation.

The “landmark” legislative package aimed at combating property and retail crime is “the most substantial legislation of its kind in modern state history,” officials said. The bipartisan set of laws was announced in August.

The laws enable police to better stop repeat offenders, and prosecutors have more power to hold thieves accountable — especially when dealing with organized retail crime rings that operate in multiple cities and counties.

The legislation, which aims to close old loopholes and maintain successful enforcement programs, also requires tougher penalties for smash-and-grab robberies of retail stores, stricter oversight of websites where stolen goods are sold and more robust protections against vehicle break-ins.

“California’s new laws tackle today’s biggest emerging challenges head-on,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. “Through partnership with the Legislature, we’re strengthening public safety, building more housing, and providing more resources for our communities. These practical reforms protect what matters most while creating more opportunities for all Californians.”

These are the new anti-crime laws for 2025:

Aggregation

• Assembly Bill 2943 by Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, D-Los Angeles, allows aggregation of the value of property stolen from different victims or in different counties in order to reach the felony grand theft threshold of $950. 

• Senate Bill 905 by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, allows aggregation of the value of property stolen from vehicles over multiple break-ins. The bill enables prosecutors to to charge a suspect with automotive property theft for resale.

Shoplifting and petty theft

• AB 2943 allows an officer with probable cause to arrest a suspect for shoplifting, even if the alleged crime did not take place in the officer’s presence. 

• AB 2943 doubles the probation period for shoplifting and for petty theft from one year to two. Defendants younger than 25 may be referred to rehabilitative programs.

•  AB 3209 by Assemblyman Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, allows a court to issue a “retail theft restraining order” prohibiting a person convicted of organized retail theft, shoplifting, theft, vandalism or assault of a retail employee from entering the business, or other locations of the same establishment, for up to two years.

Retail and cargo theft

• AB 2943 creates a new crime punishable by up to three years in jail for possessing stolen goods valued at over $950 with the intent to sell, exchange or return the allegedly stolen items. The law facilitates prosecution by eliminating the need for district attorneys to prove that a defendant knew the goods were stolen, officials said.
• AB 1802 by Assemblyman Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, eliminates the sunset dates for the crime of organized retail theft and the regional property crimes task force.

• AB 2943 extends a law through 2030 that prevents suspects of organized retail theft from being released with only a signed promise to appear in court.

• SB 1416 by Sen. Josh Newman, D-Grand Terrace, mandates sentencing enhancements for large-scale resale of stolen property.

• AB 1972 by Assemblyman Juan Alanis, R-Modesto, adds cargo theft to property crimes that regional property crimes task forces may address.

Increased penalties for smash-and-grabs

• SB 1242 by Sen. Dave Min, who was elected to Congress in November, requires higher penalties for alleged thieves who set fires to facilitate organized retail theft.

• AB 1960 by Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, establishes mandatory sentencing enhancements for taking, damaging or destroying property valued at more than $50,000 during the commission of a felony.

Vehicle theft and online sales

• SB 905 by Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, “removes the locked door loophole for automotive property thefts,” officials said.

• SB 1144 by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Alameda, requires online platforms to collect information about all “high-volume third-party sellers” to combat stolen goods fencing.

Government response

• AB 1779 by Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, allows for the consolidation of theft charges and associated offenses that occurred in different counties into a single criminal case.

• AB 2943 protects retailers from being cited or fined for repeatedly reporting retail theft.

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