Combatting Coordinated Retail Crime: Albuquerque Prosecutors Take Charge in New Mexico

Prosecutors in New Mexico’s largest metro area are taking over all cases of retail theft, including small-scale shoplifting, to combat coordinated retail crime, as announced by Albuquerque’s District Attorney Sam Bregman and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

Albuquerque Prosecutors combat coordinated retail crime. (Photo: Washington Examiner)

Prosecutors Take Charge to Address Coordinated Retail Crime

According to AP NEWS, Prosecutors in New Mexico’s largest metro area are assuming control over all cases involving retail theft, including small-scale shoplifting, as part of their efforts to enforce new state sanctions against coordinated retail crime.

Albuquerque-area District Attorney Sam Bregman and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham jointly unveiled this approach to combat coordinated retail crime.

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Legislation and New Strategy Aim to Curb Coordinated Retail Crime and Bolster Public Safety

According to Yahoo News, in response to the escalating issue of coordinated retail crime, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation in April to establish a new category of “organized retail crime” and to increase penalties for the organized theft of store merchandise.

The previous practice involved police officers in the Albuquerque area processing misdemeanor sanctions for shoplifting incidents involving less than $500 worth of merchandise. Prosecutors will now take over these cases, allowing them to consolidate related coordinated retail crime incidents over a 90-day period and potentially bring felony charges.

This change, related to coordinated retail crime, is part of a broader effort to create a safer shopping environment and ease the burden on law enforcement officers, allowing them to focus on other public safety concerns.

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