A new law in Colorado targets criminal organizations that steal from stores in bulk to sell the goods illegally—an enterprise that costs state retailers an estimated $500 million a year.
The bill stiffens penalties for triggering false alarms at stores, or preventing alarms from going off, as part of an organized effort to steal from businesses in mass quantities. Besides hurting businesses, lawmakers say it also harms the state, which loses about $15 million in tax revenue a year, according to news reports
Industry officials in retail say groups are pulling off heists by creating diversions, such as setting off a fire alarm, staging a fight, or distracting a store employee, while others grab merchandise, the news accounts reported.
SIAC doesn’t typically weigh in on this type of legislation, but we like what we’ve read on this in the news. The law will help police pursue criminals with another enforcement tool. It should curtail crime, and eliminate some false alarms at the same time. It’s important for us to speak out on this legislation because it filters into our arena of alarm management.
As we’ve seen in today’s world, despite all the good work by police departments across North America, criminals find new ways to steal. In this case, they’re creating diversions, including tripping alarms, to steal retail goods in large quantities so they can sell it on the Internet for a profit. This bill gives police more tools to fight this problem. Please share this story with others. In fact, members of the electronic security industry should consider talking to their state representatives about similar legislation.
The legislation is modeled after similar laws in California, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Texas. So it’s not just Colorado experiencing problems. You can be sure crime ideas will cross state boundaries. So nip this in the bud and contact your state representative today.
