State steps up penalties for retail theft and porch piracy

Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Individuals who commit retail theft, porch piracy or incite looting via social media will face stiffer penalties, per a bill that the governor recently signed into law. House Bill 549, which Gov. Ron DeSantis penned on Tuesday, April 9, significantly increases the penalties for the aforementioned violations. The bill holds that retail theft is a growing problem throughout the country because of social media-organized looting incidents. Retailers nationwide reportedly have claimed losing $112 billion in 2022 alone. “Florida is taking another step to distinguish ourselves from lawless jurisdictions and keep our residents and businesses safe,” DeSan