Florida Governor DeSantis Signed Bill to tackle retail theft, porch pirates and inciting looting

WooHoo! This is awesome news for Floridians. I wish California had a public safety oriented governor too. I can dream.Show more

NBC 4/9/24: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that will increase penalties for retail theft throughout Florida and seeks to prevent "smash and grab" thefts and porch piracy.

DeSantis signed the bill at a news conference Tuesday at a Walgreen's in Stuart.

The bill, HB 549, allows law enforcement to impose tougher punishments for retail theft, porch piracy and inciting looting through social media.

"If you order something and come back home... the package is going to be there and if it's not, someone will have to pay for it," DeSantis said.

The bill reduces the minimum threshold amount for an offense of grand theft of the third degree.

Also included in the law:

• A third-degree felony, punishable up to 5 years in prison, if criminals commit retail theft with five or more individuals.

• A second-degree felony, punishable up to 15 years in prison, if criminals commit retail theft with five or more individuals and use social media to solicit others to participate in the theft.

• A first-degree felony, punishable up to 30 years in prison, if a criminal commits retail theft with a firearm or with two or more prior convictions of retail theft.

• The ability to charge a felony for multiple retail thefts occurring in the span of 120 days, which is an increase from 30 days.

DeSantis criticized laws in other states, such as California.