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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Thomas Caltagirone |
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Judiciary Committee approves organized retail theft,
repeat violent offenders legislation
HARRISBURG, June 23 – State Rep. Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the committee today approved three bills, including his organized retail theft legislation.
Caltagirone's bill (H.B. 1720) would make participating in organized retail theft a crime in Pennsylvania.
"The intent of this legislation is to criminalize not only the actual act of retail theft, which is already illegal, but to make participation in any part of these criminal organizations a crime," Caltagirone said.
"These organizations, many of which operate across state lines, can overwhelm retailers with large numbers of shoplifters simultaneously, rendering normal in-house security staff inadequate. Losses can total hundreds of thousands of dollars per day per retailer," he said. "This bill would give law enforcement the ability to fully prosecute individuals involved in these organizations."
The following bills also were approved by the committee:
House Bill 1567, introduced by state Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Phila./Montgomery, would increase prison sentences and end early parole for repeat violent offenders in Pennsylvania.
House Bill 1648, introduced by state Rep. Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, would create a joint legislative, executive and judicial commission on juvenile justice to investigate how the Luzerne County juvenile justice system failed, what needs to be done to restore public trust and how to prevent similar events from occurring in any county in Pennsylvania.