Bill to toughen penalties for repeat theft and fraud offenders

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would allow prior convictions for minor theft or fraud offenses to count toward harsher penalties for repeat offenders, something the Supreme Court struck down in 2017 and 2019. To do this, it would amend the repeat offense rules in Articles 22, 66, 80, 234, 235 and 250 of the Criminal Code.
2. If the repeat offenses consist only of minor crimes, or minor ones along with less serious or serious ones, the penalty would be reduced by one degree, so it does not exceed the penalty for the basic offense. For fraud, if all prior crimes were minor, the court would impose the basic penalty regardless of the amount defrauded.
3. A new aggravating circumstance would be added: if the stolen items are electronic or tech devices that may contain personal data, theft would carry one to three years in prison.
4. The law is issued under the State's exclusive power over criminal legislation and would take effect the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette.

Who it affects

• People with multiple theft or fraud convictions: They could face tougher prison sentences if they offend again.
• Retailers and the commercial distribution sector: The bill aims to reduce losses from frequent theft.
• People in shops, public transport and tourist areas: The reform seeks to improve the sense of security in those spaces.
• Owners of farms and livestock operations: The reform aims to curb thefts they suffer.

Words worth knowing

Delito leve

A minor crime, punished with light penalties such as a fine.

Multirreincidencia

Offending again when the person already has several final convictions.

Ejecutoriamente

Refers to a conviction that is final and can no longer be appealed.

Pena inferior o superior en grado

Lowering or raising the penalty one step from the one set for the offense.

Ley Orgánica

A special type of Spanish law used for fundamental rights, requiring a higher majority to pass.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries