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City of <br />REDLANDS <br />35 Cajon Street, Redlands, CA 92373 <br />909-798-7533 <br />etejeda@cityofredlands.org <br />EDDIE TEJEDA <br />Mayor <br />June 4, 2024 <br />The Honorable James Ramos <br />Member, California State Assembly <br />1021 0 Street, Suite 8310 <br />Sacramento, CA 95814 <br />RE: AB 1772, (Ramos) Theft. <br />Notice of SUPPORT (As Amended on April 3, 2o24) <br />Dear Assembly Member Ramos: <br />PAUL BARICH <br />Mayor Pro Tempore <br />DENISE DAVIS <br />Council Member <br />JENNA GUZMAN-LOWERY <br />Council Member <br />MARIO SAUCEDO <br />Council Member <br />The City of Redlands supports AB 1772 (Ramos), which would require the Department of <br />Justice to conduct a study to determine the number of misdemeanor convictions for a <br />theft offense when property was taken from a retail business during the COVID-19 state <br />of emergency. <br />As you may know, retail theft continues to be a problem in nearly all California <br />communities. For example, commercial burglary is at the highest rate since 2oo8. In fact, <br />according to the PPIC, commercial burglary increased statewide since 2020, especially in <br />larger counties with an increase of 13% among 14 of the 15 largest counties. Rising theft is <br />impacting every corner of California, and city officials need additional tools to reduce <br />crime and improve the safety of their neighborhoods. <br />This bill would require the Department of Justice on January 1, 2026, to report to the <br />Legislature the number of misdemeanor convictions for retail theft during the Governor's <br />declared state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic. This would allow the <br />Legislature to identify the rate of convictions misdemeanor retail theft offenses during a <br />time related to a surge in theft rates. <br />While AB 1772 (Ramos) is important to continuing to make progress on retail theft, this <br />bill is only one part of a comprehensive solution that needs to include prevention, <br />enforcement, and supervision. Identifying the rate of theft in comparison to the rate of <br />1 <br />