Gov. Hochul shares statewide plan to crackdown on organized retail theft

Gov. Kathy Hochul shared details on Tuesday of her anti-theft plan as part of the FY25 executive budget proposal.

Maia Noah

Mar 13, 2024, 12:40 AM

Updated 265 days ago

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A statewide crackdown on organized retail theft continues.
Gov. Kathy Hochul shared details on Tuesday of her anti-theft plan as part of the FY25 executive budget proposal.
That plan includes $25 million to create a retail theft team within the New York state Police and $15 million for district attorneys and local law enforcement. A $5 million tax credit will also be included to help small businesses pay for additional security measures like guards and cameras.
“We've been successfully working with local law enforcement to drive down gun violence, murders and shootings – now we must take that same approach to curb organized retail theft,” Gov. Hochul said. “It’s time to give police and prosecutors the tools they need to go after retail thieves and back our businesses with the full force of the law."
During the announcement, the governor also introduced legislation to establish criminal penalties for online marketplaces and third-party sellers who foster the sale of stolen items.