Governor Newsom Signs Bill to Strengthen Penalties for Large-Scale Theft in California

The law comes as California’s $267 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies has already resulted in over 6,900 arrestsPhoto byUmanoideonUnsplash

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 1960, authored by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, to impose harsher penalties for large-scale theft and property crime. The bill mandates steeper felony sentences for those who steal, damage, or destroy property valued at over $50,000 during the commission of any felony, including retail theft. The new law also targets large fencing operations, applying enhanced sentences to those knowingly receiving or reselling stolen property.

Governor Newsom praised the legislation, saying, "California already has some of the strictest retail and property crime laws in the nation — and we have made them even stronger." The bill is part of a broader public safety package aimed at providing law enforcement with the necessary tools to combat organized crime.

The law comes as California’s $267 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies has already resulted in over 6,900 arrests for retail and property crime in the first six months of the grant cycle.