Governor Kathy Hochul on Sept. 26 spotlighted the state’s decline in organized retail theft across New York City and statewide.

Retail theft dropped more than 12% in New York City, nearly 5,000 fewer cases and 5% across the rest of the state, after thefts spiked in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Retail theft and quality-of-life crimes impact more than just the businesses who experience them — they impact entire neighborhoods. That is why I dedicated tremendous resources last year to fight the scourge of organized retail crime,” Hochul said.

The changes, signed into law as part of the FY2025 State Budget, include:

Elevating assaults on retail workers from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Allowing prosecutors to combine stolen goods from multiple stores when building larceny cases.

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