California lawmakers tackle soaring retail thefts with newly formed committee
SACRAMENTO - California lawmakers are working to address the rise in retail thefts across the state.
A newly appointed committee of 10 lawmakers is working to come up with solutions ahead of the legislative session next month.
The select committee invited the Legislative Analyst Office and the Public Policy Institute to present an overview of the current retail theft trends across the state.
A new report from the Public Policy Institute of California shows Sacramento County has seen an 11% increase in commercial burglaries and a 29% increase in commercial robberies between 2019 and 2022.
But officials also say it's hard to pinpoint an exact percentage because many thefts go unreported.
"We don't have information on all incidents of retail so that's a challenge in understanding this issue," a spokesperson for the Public Policy Institute said.
Tuesday's meeting is the first of many meetings to come. The select committee hopes to have some solutions heading into the legislative session next month.