Retail theft a ‘growing crisis’ in Texas law enforcement tells lawmakers

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas lawmakers on Thursday considered new ways to combat retail theft, a growing and often organized, destructive threat facing stores across Texas.

Law enforcement experts described the trend as a “crisis,” claiming current laws are inadequate to prosecute and deter the crime.

“The escalation of organized retail crime, organized cargo theft, and attacks on our entire supply chain” are “threatening our economy as a state and the stability of our communities,” Chief Special Agent for BNSF Railway Police Department Will Johnson testified.

Texas codified specific penalties for organized retail theft back in 2007 when the crime cost businesses an estimated $2.5 billion — but since then, the crime has only become more popular. In 2022, Capitol One reported Texas retailers lost $5.9 billion — far more, even after accounting for inflation.

Houston has the third-most retail crime in the nation, behind Los Angeles and San Francisco, the National Retail Federation reported.

“These are not just statistics, but these represent lost jobs, higher prices for consumers and deprived communities,” Johnson said.

Houston state senator Paul Bettencourt said he hopes to add more requirements on local prosecutors and judges, saying some retail criminals deserve tougher penalties.

“We are not getting people to the punishment phase and get these people off the street… that’s what the problem here is,” he said. “I’m losing my patience.”

Law enforcement suggested increasing penalties and lowering the monetary threshold for theft to count as a felony.

Last month, the Texas Comptroller’s office assembled business leaders from companies like Amazon and H-E-B to assemble solutions to the problem. Lawmakers may begin work on new bills targeting the offense when they return for the 89th legislative session in January.

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