Blue states are drowning in retail theft while shoppers duck behind locked plexiglass to buy toothpaste.
Now Florida’s making the contrast crystal clear.
And Florida’s new Attorney General just put Blue States on notice with one bold move.
Florida launches task force as California and New York struggle with theft crisis
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Friday the creation of Florida’s Retail Theft Investigative Special Task Force at a Jacksonville Home Depot.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect, rolling out just before Black Friday shopping kicks into high gear.
“Instead of having toothpaste locked behind plexiglass like California and New York, we are taking decisive action to combat organized retail theft,” Uthmeier stated. “Shoppers suffer when retail thefts drive up prices. This partnership between law enforcement and the Florida Retail Federation will help keep prices down and put criminals behind bars.”¹
While Uthmeier’s cracking down on criminals, California and New York have turned shopping into a dystopian nightmare.
California hit 50,000 shoplifting incidents in 2024 — a 12% jump from the year before and the worst in the nation.² New York’s theft rates run 25% higher than the rest of the country.³
Walk into a CVS or Walgreens in these states and you’ll see what failure looks like. Shampoo locked behind plexiglass.
Toothpaste in security cases.
You need to track down a store employee with a key just to buy deodorant.
In the worst stores, 35% of the merchandise sits in locked cases.⁴
That’s life when prosecutors won’t do their jobs.
The task force will eliminate jurisdictional barriers that hamstring local police when theft rings operate across multiple counties.
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1991899737327325216?s=20
Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay made clear what Florida’s approach looks like compared to the West Coast disaster zones.
“Anyone who chooses to commit a crime in Florida will be dealt with swiftly,” McVay explained. “The task force will strengthen our ability to get criminals off the street even faster by ensuring seamless coordination among law enforcement partners across the state.”⁵
Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters praised the move, noting that “Florida stands tall as a law-and-order state.”⁶
Democrats handed criminals the keys to the store
This disaster didn’t just happen.
California voters passed Proposition 47 back in 2014.
The law took theft charges that used to be felonies and knocked them down to misdemeanors. Criminals figured out real quick they could steal with almost zero consequences.
Look at the damage. Retailers lost $112 billion nationwide in 2022 alone, with the biggest losses hitting California, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.⁷
Florida went the other direction.
https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/1991896172227961005?s=20
DeSantis signed HB 549 in April 2024, cranking up penalties for organized retail theft.⁸
Five or more people working together to steal? That’s a third-degree felony, up to five years in prison.
Organize it on social media? Second-degree felony, 15 years max.
Use a gun or you’re a repeat offender? First-degree felony, 30 years.⁹
Since DeSantis first took office, shoplifting in Florida has dropped 30%.¹⁰
The numbers tell the whole story about which approach actually works.
Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has secured 52 convictions on organized retail theft charges since HB 549 took effect.¹¹
R. Scott Shalley, President and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, called Uthmeier’s task force an example of “bold leadership.”
“The cross-agency collaboration made possible by this task force not only brings criminals to justice, but also protects Florida businesses, retail team members and consumers,” Shalley said.¹²
Florida shoppers can walk into any store and grab toothpaste off the shelf like normal human beings.
California and New York shoppers need to track down an employee with a key just to buy basic necessities.
That’s the difference between a state that prosecutes criminals and states that coddle them.
Uthmeier, who was sworn in as Attorney General in February after serving as DeSantis’ chief of staff, promised to champion an “America First” agenda focused on law and order.
The 37-year-old became one of the youngest state attorneys general and has already made waves by taking aggressive action on multiple fronts.
With Black Friday approaching, the task force sends a clear message to any criminals eyeing Florida stores: try it and spend years behind bars.
Democrat-run states chose their path — empty shelves, locked merchandise, and rampant theft.
Florida chose the opposite — safe stores, reasonable prices, and criminals in prison where they belong.
¹ Drew Dixon, “James Uthmeier launches Special Task Force on retail theft in Florida,” Florida Politics, November 23, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ “Shoplifting in 2025 – Data, Trends, and Analysis,” Freedom For All Americans, April 14, 2025.
⁵ Staff Reports, “James Uthmeier rolls out retail theft task force,” Florida Politics, November 21, 2025.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ “Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Legislation to Eliminate Retail Theft and Porch Piracy,” Florida Governor’s Office, April 9, 2024.
⁸ Ibid.
⁹ “DeSantis signs bill to combat retail theft, porch piracy in Florida,” Local 10 News, April 9, 2024.
¹⁰ “Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Legislation to Eliminate Retail Theft and Porch Piracy,” Florida Governor’s Office, April 9, 2024.
¹¹ “Florida launches task force to crack down on organized retail theft,” CBS12, November 24, 2025.
¹² Drew Dixon, “James Uthmeier launches Special Task Force on retail theft in Florida,” Florida Politics, November 23, 2025.
