Lawmakers in California are hoping to push through controversial legislation that would ban retail staff from stopping thieves stealing from their stores.Senate Bill 553, which was submitted by State Senator Dave Cortese, has been passed by the State Senate and will now progress to policy committees in the State Assembly. Cortese hopes the proposed law will prevent workplace violence and protect staff from being forced by their employers to step-in during robberies. But some store bosses are furious about the plans, with the California Retailers Association mocking the move as an open invitation for thieves “to come in and steal.”
San Francisco has been gripped by a crimewave that has seen Whole Foods close its downtown location after just a year of business, with bosses saying they were unable to “ensure the safety” of their staff in the city. Nordstrom followed suit by leaving the city this month, but many smaller businesses have had no choice but to remain, despite attacks on their premises.The proposed new laws come as stores have blamed shoplifting for hitting their businesses, with Target issuing a statement in November blaming “organized retail crime”
update
Recent
Gov. Gavin Newsom to invest $267 million in several dozen cities to combat organized retail theft
Governor Gavin Newsom says an unprecedented investment will help hire more police, leading to more arrests and more felony prosecutions.