This article is part of a three-part package on shoplifting from our news partners at the new nonprofit City Desk ABQ. Read about what’s happened since a law was passed to target organized retail crime here and about some of the most brazen thefts here.
By Bethany Raja, City Desk ABQ | In early January, a security guard working at Marshalls in Northeast Albuquerque called an Albuquerque Police Department detective to report she had been working on a case against a “prolific shoplifter” for more than two months and there was a chance to arrest him.
Over nine theft reports, the security guard detailed 36-year-old Ryan Jaramillo stealing a $129 handbag here, or $154 worth of shoes there. She said he stole men’s clothing, women’s coats and several handbags. Each time, the total was less than $400 — but together the total loss to the department store was $1,602, according to court documents.
Jaramillo was arrested and charged with felony shoplifting under a new law creating the crime of “organized retail crime” that allows law enforcement to aggregate the incidents.
House Bill 234, which passed during the 2023 legislative session, made it so that those who shoplift multiple times from the same store in 90 days can be charged with felony shoplifting. Previously, people were charged only based on the amount they had stolen during an individual incident.
| VALUE OF MERCHANDISE | PENALTY | BASIC SENTENCE |
| $250 or less | Petty misdemeanor | Less than six months in jail and/or a fine up to $500 |
| Between $250 and $500 | Misdemeanor | Less than one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000 |
| Between $500 and $2,500 | Fourth-degree felony | Up to 18 months in prison and a possible fine of up to $5,000 |
| Between $2,500 and $20,000 | Third-degree felony | Up to three years in prison and a possible fine of up to $5,000 |
| More than $20,000 | Second-degree felony | Up to nine years in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000 |
Second Judicial District Attorney Sam Bregman said the law is meant to stop defendants like Jaramillo.
“It’s really helped a lot when it comes to prosecuting shoplifting for a number of reasons,” he said. “The first reason is it allows us to aggregate misdemeanors for those prolific shoplifters who are shoplifting just under a certain amount and would only be charged with a misdemeanor.”
But not everyone thinks the new law is a good thing.