A bill from State Senator Dave Cortese of San Jose could essentially legalize shoplifting.
SB 553, the controversial legislation aims to prevent workplace violence but could lead to the unintended consequence of thieves being able to steal without consequences.
According to the chief of the California Retailers Association, “It says no employee can approach someone who is shoplifting. So even if someone is trained on how to deter someone from doing that, now they’re not allowed to approach someone. So, what does that mean? We are opening up the door to allow people to walk into stores, steal and walk out.”
While State Senator Dave Cortese claims that SB 553 is focused on protecting employees and doesn’t prevent employees from stopping theft, there are concerns about rank-and-file employees being forced to place themselves in harm’s way.
The proposed new laws come as retailers report losing billions due to theft, including a reported 400 million loss in profits for Target in 2022 alone.