ACTION 7 NEWS. RETAIL CRIME IS A CONCERN FOR BOTH LOCAL AND CHAIN BUSINESS OWNERS. IN SEE THOSE IN STUDIO WITH US. AND ANGEL, OUR LEGISLATOR, IS LOOKING TO ADDRESS THAT. YES, SASHA, I HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH ONE OF ALBUQUERQUE’S MOST HISTORIC BUSINESSES, ABOUT TWO NEW RETAIL CRIME BILLS. PULSE TRADING COMPANY WAS BROKEN INTO JUST LAST YEAR. THIS IS A THIRD PHASE CHIEF BLANKET THAT I ESTIMATE IT WAS. PROBABLY MADE AROUND 1900 HOMES. TRADING COMPANY HAS BEEN IN ALBUQUERQUE FOR ALMOST A CENTURY. THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE, THIS IS CALLED THE STORM PATTERN RUG, WHERE YOU HAVE THE FOUR SACRED MOUNTAINS. THE STORE IS A STAPLE IN NATIVE AMERICAN ART TRADING IN NEW MEXICO. IT’S OWNED BY GUY BERGER AND MANAGED BY HIS SON PETER. LAST FEBRUARY, THEIR SHOP WAS BROKEN INTO AND AROUND $170,000 OF ART WAS STOLEN. THEY SMASHED OUT THE GLASS. WE’VE HAD IT SINCE REPAIRED. AND THEN THEY TOOK SEVERAL ROWS OF BRACELETS ON ANOTHER ONE. NOW, ALMOST A YEAR LATER, THEY’RE JUST ONE OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN ALBUQUERQUE THAT HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF RETAIL CRIME. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ATTEMPTS SINCE THAT TIME. WE HAD TO SPEND, UNFORTUNATELY, QUITE A BIT OF MONEY TO REINFORCE THE ENTIRE STORE. WE’VE HAD SECURITY SHUTTERS PUT IN AND A BUNCH OF OTHER SECURITY DETAILS PUT IN IN PLACE UP IN SANTA FE STATE, LEGISLATORS ARE WORKING TO PRESENT TO NEW BILLS TO DRIVE CRIMINALS AWAY. HOUSE BILL 55 WOULD CREATE A NEW CRIMINAL CHARGE FOR REPEAT ORGANIZED RETAIL. CRIME. WE’RE GOING TO ADD UP ALL THE THEFT. WE DON’T CARE WHICH STORE YOU STOLE FROM AND CHARGE YOU WITH THAT APPROPRIATE FELONY. I THINK IT’S DEFINITELY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I THINK THERE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE A DETERRENT. HOUSE BILL 57 WOULD GIVE BUSINESSES THE ABILITY TO USE WHAT’S CALLED REASONABLE FORCE TO STOP CRIMINALS BEFORE POLICE ARRIVE WITHOUT THE FEAR OF BEING SUED BY THE SHOPLIFTER. IF WE COME TOGETHER WITH THIS LEGISLATION, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET THIS MOVING FORWARD. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT AND I’D LOVE TO SEE THAT EVERYWHERE. I THINK A CITIZEN’S ARREST IS A PERFECTLY REASONABLE THING. WE WERE LUCKY. WE’VE RECOVERED. WE’RE STILL IN BUSINESS. OTHER PEOPLE AREN’T THAT LUCKY. CRIME IS CRIME. PEOPLE STEAL FROM YOU. IT’S WRONG. ISN’T JUST AFFECTING SMALL BUSINESSES EITHER. JUST DAYS AGO, ALBUQUERQUE POLICE ANNOUNCED THE ARREST OF 23 PEOPLE IN A CRIME OPERATION AT BIG BOX STORES. 19 OF THEM REPORTEDLY WERE REPE