Reform of the Penal Code punishing theft with up to 18 months imprisonment enters into force

Next Monday, the reform of the Penal Code will come into force, which foresees prison sentences of up to 18 months for petty theft in the case of recidivism.

The reform is necessary because the previous regulation already foresaw an aggravated modality for recidivism in theft, according to the doctrine of the Supreme Court this was intended to punish thefts that exceed 400 € when they occur in a multi-recidivist manner.

Minor theft offences that are committed in a multi-recidivist manner do not have a sufficient penal response, despite the fact that they are crimes that are the object of growing concern as they directly affect not only tourism, commerce and the economy in general, but also the security of citizens themselves.

Increased penalties for petty theft offences

In cases of petty theft or theft of less than 400 €, the penalty is increased if the perpetrator is a multiple offender and the total amount of the stolen goods, including previously committed theft offences, exceeds 400 €. In this case, the penalty imposed is a prison sentence of 6 to 18 months.

If you have any doubts about this subject, please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone at Núria Martí García or by e-mail at nmg@btsasociados.com, we will be delighted to help you.