Fighting retail crime: Staten Island pols, business and law enforcement officials discuss problem, solutions

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Law enforcement officials, politicians and business executives alike joined together recently for a roundtable discussion on the threat of retail crime facing Staten Island.

Washington confirmed that the NYPD has seen the issue with youths and the lack of consequences. However, Washington says there has not been a notable indication of widespread organized retail theft so much as there have been individual cases.

As far as state legislation goes, both Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-South Shore) and state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn) look to propose measures aimed at alleviating these ailments.

Scarcella-Spanton’s Senate Bill 5479 would elevate assaults on retail workers to the Class D felony of assault in the second degree.

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