There’s been a growth in shoplifting – an act all too familiar for residents – in New Mexico.
NM natives have had enough, and lawmakers feel similarly.
“What we’ve found is that shoplifters understand that if they steal under $500, then it’s a misdemeanor and nothing is going to happen to them," Rep. William “Bill” Rehm (R- Bernalillo) said, according to KRQE.
To address this, Rehm and Rep. Stefani Lord (R- Bernalillo) introduced House Bill 29 (HB29).
Currently, thieves can only be charged with a misdemeanor for stealing products that are less than $500, KRQE said. HB29 would allow the state to add the value of each charge in a calendar year, so each repeated offense would accumulate to the total cost of all stolen merchandise.
If over $500 is stolen in one calendar year, the crime is considered a fourth-degree felony.
Shoplifting isn’t the only crime that New Mexico faces.
“A record-shattering 117 homicides in Albuquerque last year and violent crime across the state have flipped the political script from a year ago, and rightly so,” the Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board wrote. A Journal poll in October 2021 found that 87% of Albuquerque residents were concerned about the crime rate in the city. The number jumped to 90% among those 65 and older.
“Overall, 35% of respondents reported feeling unsafe in the city, and for good reason," the editorial said. "Crime dominated the mayoral race last fall and remains a top priority among state lawmakers.”