Car break-in bill holds criminals more accountable

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A bill to hold criminals more accountable for car smash and grabs is one step closer to passing.

State Senator Scott Wiener, (D) San Francisco, tried to get the bill passed in the past year but is finally making progress with his third attempt. He would eliminate what’s called the “locked door loophole.” If passed, victims will no longer have to show up to court to prove they locked their cars prior to a smash and grab. That’s huge when you consider how many out of state tourists are victims of car burglaries.

Sharky Laguana owns the van rental company Bandago and explained what one customer went through in San Francsico.

“Ran in to grab something from inside the building,” Laguana said. “Wasn’t there more than a minute tops. Went in came back and he was missing $20,000 in film equipment.”

Car break-ins like that are why Senator Wiener has authored Senate Bill 905 eliminating what’s called the “locked door loophole.”

“Even if the DA can prove that you broke out the window and forced your way into the car the DA also has to prove that all of the doors on the car were locked and if they can’t prove that the doors were locked, they may not be able to convict you even if they can show that you broke into the car,” Wiener said.

The loophole has the biggest impact on tourists who have their rental cars broken into during a visit to California. Criminals see an out of state license plate, pull over, and within seconds smash a window and take property from inside. A future court date for a tourist, becomes an inconvenience.

“Most common scenario is a tourist in either a rental car or a borrowed car and they aren’t here, and they simply are not going to fly back to testify,” Wiener said.

Senator Wiener’s bill also addresses the reselling of stolen goods from cars, especially laptops, cellphones and cameras.

Criminals could be prosecuted for holding more than $950 of stolen goods intended for resale.

“We should be able to catch these crooks,” Laguana said. “It’s terrible that they’re getting away with it and it’s terrible what we make our visitors do. They deserve better than that.”

The bill passed the Senate Public Safety Committee with a vote of five to zero. It now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.