Chicago City Wire

In response to a rise in what has been described as “smash-and-grab” robberies, House Republican leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) has authored a bill that targets organized theft rings.

According to Durkin's website, House Bill 4275 makes organized retail theft a crime punishable by up to 15 years in jail if the value of goods stolen is more than $300. The bill describes organized theft as occurring when someone works with one or more person to steal merchandise with the intention of selling or returning the goods for profit. It also entails working with two or more people to receive, purchase or possess merchandise believed to be stolen. It includes someone who has acted as an agent of another person or group to steal merchandise and also those who recruit, coordinate, organize, supervise, direct, manage or finance someone taking part in theft.

“Smash-and-grab retail theft has become disturbingly commonplace and these criminals are only becoming more brazen,” said Durkin. “These crimes have many victims, from the people who own and operate these stores, to their employees and customers. We cannot let this stand. These criminals are sophisticated and organized like the street gangs that terrorize our communities and must be treated the same.”

According to Durkin, last year criminals stole about $4 billion worth of goods from Illinois businesses. Fox 32 reported that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot recently blamed businesses, saying that stores should be doing more to protect themselves from being robbed.

According to National Review, on Dec. 11 thieves stole more than $1 million of watches from the Gold Coast Auto Gallery in the middle of the day. Owner Joe Perillo criticized Lightfoot and Cook County District Attorney Kim Foxx, saying they need to do more.

CBS 2 reported that out of 10 recent retail thefts in Chicago’s shopping districts, several of which were violent, only two people have been arrested. One of the alleged thieves arrested had been previously arrested earlier this month as part of the group that robbed the Neiman Marcus on Michigan Avenue. Another person arrested was a 16-year-old girl who used a stun gun to attack a Nike store security guard. 

Last week, someone attempted to rob the Canada Goose store on Michigan Avenue by throwing a cinder block through the window. At the end of November, four men broke into the Burberry store on Michigan Avenue and stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of goods and attacked a 23-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man.

Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-St. Charles) has called for changes to prevent retail theft and recently shared a link to the bill on Facebook as well as speaking in favor of the legislation.

“Crime rates have exponentially risen in Illinois and a large part of that includes retail theft,” Ugaste said. “We have to change course if we are going to protect residents AND businesses.”