Alabama Retail Association says new retail theft law effective so far

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – The state’s new retail theft law has not even been around an entire year yet, but the Alabama Retail Association says it is working. They are noticing the sign of success, pointing to news headlines.

“We’ve had arrests in Cullman, and in Mobile, and in Hoover,” said Nancy Dennis with the Alabama Retail Association. She says the Retail Theft Crime Prevention Act is already stopping shoplifters. It creates harsher penalties for thieves and crime-ring organizers.

Nancy says organized crime is an industry in itself.

“There are people who will steal from retailers in various ways, then they will sell it online at a lesser price,” Dennis shared.

She says these criminals were not being prosecuted, stealing just under the threshold for charges. Now, prosecutors can group multiple thefts together.

Stealing over $2,500 of products is now a class B felony, and people caught four or more times for any amount will face a class C felony.

“The goal is to hopefully make these kinds of incidents be less and less,” the spokesperson said.

The Alabama Retail Association says this law also allows businesses to sign out warrants for arrests without leaving their stores, and provides training for prosecutors and law enforcement officials.

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