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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 28, 2023 11:20 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Joe Hogan and Rep. Kristin Marcell |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Increasing Penalties for Gun Store Robberies |
| Many communities in our Commonwealth have been the victim of gun store robberies. These kinds of robberies typically spawn further crime as the stolen weapons are used to threaten, hurt, or murder others as well as to support other criminal operations. Many gun store robberies are perpetrated like an organized crime and include co-conspirators to assist them in stealing from gun stores. One of the more disturbing actions is that juveniles are organized by adults to rob gun stores because if caught they face lesser penalties. This happened recently in my district. The prosecutor should have the opportunity to try these juveniles as adults because of the intent that is associated with this crime and since this crime is going to spawn much more dangerous and potentially deadly crimes in the future. Current law imposes a heightened penalty for the crime of burglary when the intent of the actor is to commit a theft of a controlled substance. My legislation would expand this heightened penalty to apply where the intent of the actor is to commit a theft of a firearm. The bill would also allow for trying juveniles as adults who commit this crime as well as increase penalties for those who conspire to commit this crime. There will also be additional penalties if any of the stolen guns is used for further crimes. Please join us in co-sponsoring this legislation to help fight a crime that only spawns more dangerous crimes. |
Memo Updated: September 28, 2023 11:21 AM