Smash-and-grab robberies in CA: New bill would provide stricter penalties for retail theft

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- Smash-and-grab robberies have become a common occurrence across the state of California, but could there soon be stiffer penalties for thieves who are caught and convicted?

It's possible.

Assemblymember James Ramos, a Democrat from San Bernardino, is sponsoring a bill he hopes will end the alarming trend.

"I think it's time we start to discuss the pendulum of where public safety is in the state of California," he said. "I believe this type of bill will start the discussion of bringing the pendulum back to where it needs to, which is the middle of the road."

Under Assembly Bill 1772, store thefts would no longer be processed as a misdemeanor without jail time if a suspect has been convicted of two or more specified theft-related offenses. According to Ramos, punishment could range from imprisonment in the county jail ranging from six months to three years.

That's because prosecutors would be allowed to add up the cumulative amount of merchandise stolen to possibly make the crime a felony, something that currently can't be done.

"Individuals that go into retail stores and do the smash-and-grab, then go to another one, the mechanism to prosecute them on cumulative charges is something that's been missing as an arsenal for prosecutors in the state of California," explained Ramos.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus supports Ramos' bill, saying smash-and-grabs have, unfortunately, become synonymous with California.

"Making these changes that Ramos is proposing is really critical for us to be able to do our job, get these people in front of the court, and give the court the tools to prevent this from happening anymore," said Dicus.

If approved by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the measure would also have to be approved by voters.

According to Ramos' website, in February 2023, the legislator asked the state auditor to review the effectiveness of Prop 47, which was approved by voters in 2014 and categorized some nonviolent offenses as misdemeanors rather than felonies, to determine whether it had increased crime rates in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

The auditor's report is expected later this year.

To learn more about Assembly Bill 1772, click here.