Republican attorney general candidate Saritha Komatireddy has criticized New York State Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, a Democratic socialist, for suggesting that shoplifting essential items for "biological need" is acceptable. Komatireddy, who is challenging incumbent Attorney General Letitia James, stated that theft harms retailers and consumers.
Komatireddy, speaking outside a South Ozone Park gas station mart, disputed Gallagher's premise, asserting that the nature of shoplifting is often organized and for resale. "The scenario that you’re hearing from people like Emily Gallagher, that’s not what is actually happening," Komatireddy said. "If you look at the cases, the people who are stealing from stores, they come here with a big truck. They go in there with garbage bags, and they swipe everything off a shelf, put it into a garbage bag, load it into the truck, and then they drive down a couple of blocks into a different neighborhood or a different city, and they resell it," she explained. "That’s the kind of crime that is affecting small business owners."
Gallagher had previously suggested that New Yorkers struggling to afford items like soap and toothpaste should be able to shoplift them. She cited a report from the criminal justice advocacy group Court Watch NYC, which monitored 360 arraignments over four days and concluded that most defendants were stealing items they needed. "We are choosing to protect billion-dollar companies like CVS and Walgreens over the people who are struggling to get buy," Gallagher stated.
Komatireddy, a former prosecutor, countered Gallagher's remarks by emphasizing her own experience. "People make comments like that, it’s because they haven’t done the work. I’ve done the work," she said.
Komatireddy also directed criticism towards Attorney General Letitia James, arguing that the AG's office has not adequately prioritized prosecuting organized retail theft. "She has assigned twice as many people to prosecute cops, than organized crime," Komatireddy claimed. "And we are seeing the result. Criminals are in control, and innocent New Yorkers are paying the price."
The Republican candidate referenced a report about Shaquan Seth, an individual with a significant arrest record who allegedly remained free due to New York's bail laws, as an example of the current criminal justice system's perceived failures.