SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Senate has a bipartisan plan to crack down on smash-and-grab retail thefts and the selling of stolen items that follows.
The legislation takes aim at retail theft networks that are believed to be responsible for stealing merchandise from stores.
It identifies the offense of "organized retail crime" and seeks to eliminate jurisdictional restraints that often hinder wholesale prosecution. It would also provide more money for police and prosecutors to pursue cases.
Proponents say statistics are hard to come by, but high-profile hits have put the issue front and center. People show up in groups for mass shoplifting events or to enter stores and smash and grab from display cases.
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