New California bill would enforce harsher punishment for repeat porch pirates
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A California lawmaker introduced a bill that would enforce harsher punishments for repeat porch pirates.
Sen. Brian Jones wants to make repeat offenses punishable with more prison time.
Current law makes package theft a misdemeanor, punishable with imprisonment in a county jail for no more than one year.
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Senate Bill 979 would make the act of entering the curtilage of a person's property, with the intent to steal, a crime. It would also make the third and subsequent offenses within a three-year period a misdemeanor or a felony charge.
Offenders could serve up to three years in prison under the proposed bill.
Package thefts have spiked in California over the last few years, especially during the holiday season.
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One woman in Southern California caught a man porch pirating from a neighbor's home, and stopped him from taking the package. The incident was captured on camera by her son.
Other cases have involved thieves posing as delivery servicemembers or food delivery employees.
