Lawmakers in California are hoping to push through controversial legislation that would ban retail staff from stopping thieves stealing from their stores, Report informs, citing Newsweek.
Senate Bill 553, which was submitted by State Senator Dave Cortese, has been passed by the State Senate and will now progress to policy committees in the State Assembly. Cortese hopes the proposed law will prevent workplace violence and protect staff from being forced by their employers to step-in during robberies. But some store bosses are furious about the plans, with the California Retailers Association mocking the move as an open invitation for thieves "to come in and steal."
The political wrangling in California comes just weeks after Home Depot security guard Blake Mohs, 26, was shot to death during an attempted robbery in Pleasanton, California. Other cities in the state are also facing their own problems as they attempt to deal with lawlessness.
A statement issued by Cortese's office noted that assaults in stores rose during the pandemic, citing 2022 analysis by the New York Times, which found that assaults in grocery stores increased by 63% from 2018 to 2020, and assaults in convenience stores grew by 75%. The statement added that workplace violence is the second leading cause of fatal occupational injury.