Retail Theft Thresholds Are Rising

In Texas shoplifters can snag nearly 20 pairs of Jordans off the shelves and walk away with a misdemeanor. Yet only two pairs warrant a felony in Virginia. Retail theft laws vary from state to state, but in the past two decades, a national trend to raise minimums for felony charges has emerged. Oklahoma went from $50 to $500 in 2001. Connecticut doubled the amount needed to earn a felony – rising from $1000 to $2000 in 2009. Texas, which has one of the highest thresholds, increased its minimum from $1,500 to $2,500 in 2015. Nearly 40 states have increased felony theft thresholds since 2000, but a few states still have more conservative numbers. Read more at CBS Chicago.