Week after Philly ransacking, Argall bill targets organized retail theft

Oct. 3—The state Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved a bill sponsored by Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Twp., to help combat increased organized retail theft.

Senate Bill 596, approved by a 9-5 vote, would lower the value of stolen merchandise required for a felony charge and comes just a week after flash mob-style ransacking took place across Philadelphia.

A third-degree felony could be charged previously for thefts of items valued at $5,000 to $19,999; the bill would lower the range to $300 to $1,199.

Authorities could file a second-degree felony charge for a theft involving a minimum of $1,200, down from $20,000, under the new legislation.

"This is not just simple shoplifting," Argall said in an interview Tuesday. "This is organized criminal behavior involving some pretty serious actors, and we just need to bring this kind of criminal behavior to an end."

Nationwide from 2020 to 2021, the cost of retail theft increased by $21.6 billion, from $219 billion to $241 billion, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Retail Crime Data Center. Thefts in Pennsylvania made up 4.93% of the 2021 total.

The average retail theft over those two years rose from $937 to $1,180 nationwide, according to the data center.

The chamber said that organized retail theft has resulted in the loss of almost 700,000 jobs nationwide due to more than $125 billion in economic losses.

Argall's bill, which now goes to the full Senate, is similar to ones passed in nine other states, including Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri, he said during the committee voting meeting on Tuesday.

Chair Sen. Lisa Baker, R-20, Lehman Twp. (Luzerne County), said the bill would also create an Office of Deputy Attorney General for Organized Retail Crime Theft.

"This bill takes a necessary step towards combatting the negative effects organized retail theft has had on commonwealth businesses, consumers and the economy," Baker said.

Committee Minority Chairman Steve Santarsiero, D-Bucks, said that he supported the bill's intent, but suggested he wants to discuss some of the proposed monetary thresholds in the bill prior to a floor vote, according to capitolwire.com.

Argall referred during the meeting to the looting and thefts that took place in Philadelphia last week as an example of why the legislation matters.

While he doesn't consider organized retail theft an issue in his 29th District, Argall said the bill can serve as a preventative measure.

Police charged dozens of people after dozens of stores, including Foot Locker, Lululemon, Apple and at least 18 state-run liquor stores, were targeted on Sept. 26.

The thefts came after a peaceful protest over a judge's decision to dismiss murder and other charges against a Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a driver, Eddie Irizarry.

But those doing the ransacking were not affiliated with the protest, Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said at a news conference last week, The Associated Press reported. He called the group "a bunch of criminal opportunists."

During Tuesday's meeting, Argall noted that, in support of the bill, the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association said heavy prosecution will primarily pertain to serious offenders. Argall read a quote from the association.

"Our goal is not to target vulnerable individuals being leveraged or manipulated into stealing, let alone those who are shoplifting to feed themselves or their families," it read. "Rather, we want the focus to be on the criminals higher up."