RALEIGH, N.C. — Steeper penalties and verification requirements for third-party sellers are the sticking points of a new North Carolina law designed to curb organized retail theft.
State Bill 766 increases the punishment for people caught committing the theft more than once in a 90 day span. It also forces internet marketplaces to confirm information from third-party sellers to stop the sale of illegal items.
Gov. Roy Cooper signed the bill into law last week.
“Organized store theft is a growing problem in North Carolina, costing consumers and retailers,” Cooper said. “These stronger penalties should deter thieves and help combat these crimes.”
Business leaders from the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association praised the law as a major step toward combatting “a leading factor in increasing costs and safety concerns for consumers and retail employees.”
(WATCH BELOW: Retail theft on the rise and shoplifters are becoming more aggressive, CMPD says)
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