Store Owners and Operators,
We are thrilled to announce that ASG was a supporter and member of the Collective Action to Protect Our Stores (CAPS). Throughout the rigorous 18-month journey, the coalition relentlessly championed the cause of prioritizing retail safety, defending the welfare of both New Yorkers and the supermarket community.
On May 1st, Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled her resolute strategy to combat crime, signing into law the hard-fought bills we ardently advocated for. ASG played an integral role in this historic triumph, marking a watershed moment for our industry. The momentous signing ceremony took place at New York Law in Manhattan, a testament to the significance of our collective efforts.
The FY25 State Budget includes Governor Hochul’s five-point plan to fight organized retail theft:
- Bolstering criminal penalties for anyone who assaults a retail worker by elevating it from a misdemeanor to felony. Any person who causes physical injury to a retail worker performing their job will be subject to this new felony.
- Allowing prosecutors to combine the value of stolen goods when they file larceny charges. The Budget allows retail goods from different stores to be aggregated for the purposes of reaching a higher larceny threshold when stolen under the same criminal scheme.
- Making it illegal to foster the sale of stolen goods to go after third-party sellers. A person will be found guilty if they use any website or physical location to offer stolen goods for sale.
- $40.2 million for dedicated Retail Theft Teams within State Police, District Attorneys’ offices and local law enforcement, including 100 New York State Police personnel dedicated to fighting organized retail theft.
- $5 million tax credit to help small businesses invest in added security measures such as cameras. To help alleviate the burden on small businesses for additional security measures, the Budget creates a $3,000 tax credit, available to any business with 50 or fewer employees that spends the threshold amount of money on retail theft prevention measures.