[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6373803,"mediaKeyId","2145524-d3693a6b9c0812914e79b011436d834b","parentId",2145524,"title","Committee hears Organized Retail Theft Act as prosecutors and retailers press for cross-jurisdiction tools","audioSeconds",1154,"startMs",4317000,"endMs",5471000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145524-d3693a6b9c0812914e79b011436d834b&start=4317&end=5471","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145524-d3693a6b9c0812914e79b011436d834b/thumbnail_4317000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6373803/Maryland/Committee-hears-Organized-Retail-Theft-Act-as-prosecutors-and-retailers-press-for-cross-jurisdiction-tools","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373803-fefa78897f3472fac5cf3d1197fceeb5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171813&Signature=OVqNjD37aWuSJFZwJRndKcXkXVHPy3pYvMNa2Zs1VkAfRYssnn5mXonFZ~AcIi1YOEwde9RlX43g70yK7F9q9IoaPu44~CTh16rWK2KUNIf~eyoIHsJ7YBiPYoENfhMn9uipdgkhAKi7COl1qO2-i6nPIRmTNA~c3DNGR2vac-0Y~ULGGNVwAhwoHS9DsjPgO2Kit07nsXbyIHCe5ArM5gb6CW9lxAVxZHd8To-F7~hzpO6DzO4B7HXoZ1dchkl7I1xoX3w-mYT3PYrmsp-R9gMDWYhoDxZKZsk4KMzb087~05JXVJtTs-qE5TSik8pjB5BDFzeTt9EyXFKh4P8TJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland General Assembly - Judiciary","date","2025-01-21T00:00:00Z","article","Delegate Toles introduced HB 179, the Organized Retail Theft Act of 2025, telling the House Judiciary Committee that retail theft is costing Maryland retailers hundreds of millions of dollars and that new law is needed to let prosecutors treat repeat, coordinated theft across jurisdictions as part of an organized scheme.

“Organized retail theft needs to be a priority this year,” Delegate Toles said. “Stores across the Maryland are locking up items on basic household items. This is unacceptable.”

Retail and law-enforcement witnesses detailed the scale and character of the problem. Kayleigh Locklear of the Maryland Retailers Alliance said 37 states have enacted organized-retail-crime laws and argued Maryland needs similar tools to aggregate thefts that span jurisdictions and to improve data collection. Perry Taylor, deputy state's attorney for Prince George’s County, told the committee HB 179 “will provide a powerful tool” so prosecutors can consolidate multiple thefts tied to the same scheme even if the incidents occurred in different counties.

Franchisees and convenience-store operators described daily operational impacts. Farjean Noor, a 7‑Eleven franchisee, said his stores have been targeted repeatedly: “I have lost, in total, about $28,000 in retail theft accumulated,” he told the committee, and staff have left because employees felt unsafe after armed cash-and-grab incidents. Micah Neumeyer, another franchisee, said cigarette thefts frequently total about $5,000 per incident and that audit shortages can reach $20,000 in a quarter.

Prosecutors and law enforcement said consolidation can preserve judicial resources and produce stronger deterrence. Jason Shoemaker of the Maryland State’s Attorneys Association said consolidated prosecutions “conserve judicial resources by placing multiple fences in one courtroom as opposed to being prosecuted in multiple courts.”

The Office of the Public Defender opposed HB 179, arguing that an expanded aggregation power could ensnare low-level offenders and that current statutes (the panel cited Criminal Law §7-103(f) as an existing theft-scheme tool) already permit prosecution of multiple thefts as a scheme. Public Defender witnesses expressed concern about overbroad charging and urged caution to avoid criminalizing people acting out of need.

Retailers described operational responses: more asset-protection hires, security upgrades, task-force coordination with prosecutors, and retailer-run alert systems to notify police across counties when the same booster teams appear. Supporters urged passage to keep Maryland from becoming a repeat target for organized crews operating on the I-95 corridor and beyond.

Ending: The committee heard repeated anecdotes of cross-county crews, product returns to central repositories, and armed robberies tied to theft operations. Supporters asked for a favorable report; defenders urged narrow drafting to avoid sweeping in low-level or desperation-driven thefts. No vote was taken at the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","JUD Committee Session, 1/21/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","Delegate Toles told the House Judiciary Committee that HB 179 — the Organized Retail Theft Act — is needed to let prosecutors join thefts committed in multiple Maryland jurisdictions when they are part of an organized scheme.","taxTitle","Judiciary Committee, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15063,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373808,"House Judiciary Committee hears competing proposals to speed removal of squatters, criminalize fraudulent leases",6808,277000,7085000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145524-d3693a6b9c0812914e79b011436d834b&start=277&end=7085","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145524-d3693a6b9c0812914e79b011436d834b/thumbnail_277000.jpg","/articles/6373808/Maryland/House-Judiciary-Committee-hears-competing-proposals-to-speed-removal-of-squatters-criminalize-fraudulent-leases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373808-8d6cd8b7dba11614f13505560313024f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171813&Signature=mvrTuex2ykaz8Nsxp6FbQpYMSWu9fxK7-9SO0N6th4i1UyaaevUPEBfwlnB5~TDjHWXagqrq8E~hfFy1NbwD-C2FNOTdiDPU6UoPlZM0imIQ2hIhQogQPVkahq3P4F7M3mBHlhhL1qxUqYPAxY8z2R0hAEciNJGiXSMvr5Yh-vpXPYSkptNDe095mzWmcJIpZxjBF~~H5cJ-rsS54EZeTWot5CTWN6J8gABvPhrudctmjJRXVlE-9t3Ylxx~LQhzZG7uWmpygMOgJbldHE9nEw8BnhZFq16x-aGovsAOE86qtDcqq-vnHW1ld4roioWpCF8Zarpy4IulyHvIz3fxCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Ryan Naraki, appearing before the House Judiciary Committee, urged lawmakers to approve HB 202, a bill that would make it a crime to fraudulently convey or lease a residential property and — in some versions — allow expedited removal of people occupying property without authorization.

“This legislation is common sense,” said Delegate Ryan Naraki, the bill sponsor. “It cracks down on fraudsters, those who create fake leases and counterfeit documents, who will face increased penalties.”

Backers from landlord and property-owner trade groups told the committee the measure addresses a growing problem. Ashley Clark of the Maryland Multi Housing Association said HB 202 “provides an additional tool to help owners remove an unauthorized occupant, restore possession to the rightful owner, and mitigate a safety risk to their tenants and communities.” Hugo Cantu of the Apartments and Office Building Association (AOBA) said the bill targets unauthorized subleasing that current civil remedies do not reach.

Several committee members and defense-oriented witnesses urged caution. Joseph Loveless, an attorney with Maryland Legal Aid, and Albert Turner of the Public Justice Center warned that language allowing immediate removal by a sheriff or deputy — based on an owner-signed affidavit — could dispossess people who were victims of leasing scams or who legitimately believed they had a tenancy. Loveless said wrongful detainer procedures in Real Property §14-132 already provide a civil path for repossession and that summary removals without a court hearing risk due-process violations.

State’s attorneys and law-enforcement allies said prosecutors currently face obstacles when perpetrators travel across county lines or use counterfeit documents. Perry Taylor, deputy state’s attorney for Prince George’s County, supported aggregating related theft/fraud offenses so prosecutors can join multiple incidents into a single case when they are part of an organized scheme.

Public testimony included property owners’ accounts of financial loss and fear. David Brand described paying $9,000 to someone who claimed he had lawfully rented Brand’s Baltimore County rehab property after confronting intruders while a sale was pending. Resident Jessica Leggett described being scammed into a rental and later displaced; she said access to court process “helped me understand… the little time I had to move out. The little time was crucial for me.”

Opponents called for alternatives short of immediate law-enforcement eviction, such as expedited judicial proceedings, mandatory proof-of-ownership registries, or requirements for written leases and licensing for rental operators. Maryland Legal Aid proposed a suite of preventive and remedial measures — centralized rental licensing, written-lease requirements, tenant registries and a victim relocation fund — as ways to protect both property owners and people victimized by fraudulent leases.

Committee members pressed both sides about data. Naraki and supporters said anecdotal reports drove the proposals; critics pointed to a lack of comprehensive statewide counts. The Office of the Public Defender noted a fiscal-note estimate (cited in committee questions) that a new criminal pathway could add hundreds of cases — a number some legislators asked staff to verify.

The committee also heard related introductions by Delegate Frank Conaway — HB 154 and HB 164 — that would create criminal penalties for unauthorized possession and enable law-enforcement removal in certain circumstances. Public Justice Center and Maryland Legal Aid both urged unfavorable reports for those measures, citing constitutional and due-process concerns and the practical burden placed on sheriffs and deputies forced into factual determinations at the door.

Where the bills differ: HB 202 (as presented by Naraki) emphasizes penalties for those who create and traffic in fraudulent leases and includes language allowing expedited action in some cases; HB 154 would make unauthorized possession a misdemeanor with escalating penalties; HB 164 would more explicitly authorize law-enforcement removal subject to conditions in the bill text.

The committee did not take a vote on any of the measures during the hearing. Lawmakers asked staff and stakeholders to continue drafting and to explore compromises, including an expedited judicial process as an alternative to immediate sheriff-led removals.

Ending: The panel left the record open for further conversations: supporters asked for statutory changes to deter organized fraud, while defenders and legal-aid groups requested safeguards to ensure people who were victims of scams or who have lawful-but-imperfect tenancy evidence are not wrongfully displaced.","Delegate Ryan Naraki, sponsor of HB 202, urged the House Judiciary Committee to approve criminal penalties for fraudulent leases and faster removal of alleged squatters, saying the measure would “crack down on fraudsters.”",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373798,"Delegates introduce broad “Porch Piracy” package — from longer statutes of limitation to automatic restitution and diversion options",1270,8364000,9634000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145524-d3693a6b9c0812914e79b011436d834b&start=8364&end=9634","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145524-d3693a6b9c0812914e79b011436d834b/thumbnail_8364000.jpg","/articles/6373798/Maryland/Delegates-introduce-broad-Porch-Piracy-package-from-longer-statutes-of-limitation-to-automatic-restitution-and-diversion-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373798-bc15949218d7a5ef766b936871bf45e0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171813&Signature=f0gFegGwYf46svJs6vHL6QtMl9mhPXjl8IAoHiepoogJNDONjZMz9tSS~tr~2~smJLPVS~C4x-bsSkyQ6k1pfE227VpTPdzMI3iCTc5wHcxDwUcZYJKh-5bX2t6MFYsnkwkdZj8RVuKfm--KMIduo2Q~OTMnI5BmRbJAxuezKYYQAIojN4rRMFj4To8rDSn~mINCXZdxUEYiHTRtWdgzd4wpSABLaIvzhi4SuIxvl3jUHr1Wo4VehV88Ewf8Azflxbp-hStlTUqobISUpsIRnuLg4EXpbPTUNK8aiMk9hZ4BpzLHZ3Xsx8IhtFR-DGjxOtdFVhLHKYBPsp2sm1oBSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Frank Conaway presented a suite of bills — collectively described as the “Porch Piracy Act of 2025” — that would create new and stiffer penalties for stealing packages, tighten rules on fraudulent documents, lengthen statutes of limitation for petty theft of delivered goods, and require restitution and central-collection reporting when defendants fail to pay.

“Someone steals your package off the porch, and it can take law enforcement months to identify the perpetrator,” Conaway said. “These bills try to make victims whole and to deter repeat offenders.”

Key provisions introduced included:

- HB 126: Raised penalties and required restitution for theft of mail or packages delivered by the U.S. Postal Service; included a provision to restore stolen mail where feasible.

- HB 135: Required central collection units to retain restitution records so victims can be paid later if a defendant’s assets are found.

- HB 143: Would permit a court to issue a protective “stay-away” order (similar to a peace order) against someone convicted of repeatedly stealing packages, and makes repeat violations potentially a felony with up to five years of imprisonment.

- HB 210 and HB 280: For third or subsequent violations these bills would allow diversion to treatment or substance-use-evaluation programs as an alternative to incarceration.

- HB 79: Would criminalize fabrication or presentation of fake or altered documents (a response to earlier testimony about fake leases and deeds).

- HB 109 and HB 269: Suggested extending the statute of limitations for petty theft of property under $100 from two years to three, and other targeted adjustments (HB 291 proposed raising maximum fines for opening a letter without authorization).

Supporters argued the bills respond to repeat offenders and scams involving stolen medications, checks, and packages that can contain essential goods such as insulin. Delegate Conaway said the bills would better enable restitution and reduce repeat victimization. Delegate Kaufman asked for data on the scale of porch piracy; Conaway said precise statewide figures were not provided in the hearing packet but offered to supply numbers.

Some members of the committee and other witnesses suggested refinement. Delegate Grammer and others praised mandatory restitution as a tool to help victims, but raised questions about overlap with existing federal mail statutes and about whether some measures should be handled through civil restitution or by amending the peace-order process. Several delegates suggested consolidating the proposals into a single omnibus bill.

Ending: The bills were introduced and discussed in committee; lawmakers requested additional data and drafting to reconcile overlaps with federal mail statutes and with existing civil remedies. No vote was taken during the hearing.","A cluster of bills introduced by Delegate Frank Conaway and others would increase penalties for stealing and opening mail and packages, extend statutes of limitation for petty theft of delivered goods, create mandatory restitution paths and central-collection reporting, and allow diversion or substance-treatment alternatives for repeat offenders.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears Organized Retail Theft Act as prosecutors and retailers press for cross-jurisdiction tools

House Judiciary Committee hears competing proposals to speed removal of squatters, criminalize fraudulent leases

Delegates introduce broad “Porch Piracy” package — from longer statutes of limitation to automatic restitution and diversion options