Governor Hochul Visits Suffolk In $45M Fight Against Retail Theft

LINDENHURST, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul is cracking down on retail theft.

On Friday, the governor met with Bolla Market President and CEO Harry Singh at the Lindenhurst location to announce a new plan to fight retail theft in New York.

While meeting with Singh, Governor Hochul shared information about new laws against organized retail theft included in the FY 2025 Enacted Budget.

According to the governor's office, Hochul’s plan focuses on five points, including increased criminal penalties; allowing prosecutors to combine items stolen from different stores when filing charges; going after third-party sellers for selling stolen goods; $40 million for retail theft units; and $5 million tax credit to help small businesses invest in added security measures such as cameras.

"I promised the retail workers and our small business owners that I would protect them - and we are doing just that," Governor Hochul said. "Here in New York, we are standing up to organized retail theft, backing our businesses and their workers with the full force of the law, and restoring that sense of security and peace of mind so they can focus on what they do best."

Hochul's focus on the crimes comes after a significant spike in retail theft over the past six years. According to her office, larceny offenses in New York City increased by 51 percent from 2017 to 2023, while robberies, grand larceny and petit larceny jumped by 86 percent .

Click here to view a video of the governor's visit to Lindenhurst's Bolla Market.