SPAIN has taken action against phone thieves by introducing tough new jail sentences of up to three years for those who steal mobile devices, especially repeat offenders.
From now on, stealing a mobile phone will no longer be treated as a minor offence purely based on its value, but on the personal impact it has on victims – including access to private data and sensitive information.Â
As a result, phone thieves can now face up to three years in prison. The new law goes further than phone theft alone.
Anyone with three prior convictions for similar offences could now face a prison sentence, marking a major shift away from the fines that were typically handed out before.
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The change is part of a wider legal reform, approved by Congress this week, aimed at tackling persistent petty crime that has frustrated residents and businesses for years.
The measure addresses repeat offences by changing the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Law (LeCrim).
Penalties for stealing agricultural and livestock products have also been increased to up to three years in prison when the value exceeds €400.
The same applies to thefts of tools used in these kinds of crimes.
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Judges are also being given more power to deal with persistent offenders, including the option to ban them from certain areas while they await trial in order to prevent further offences.
Other drug-related offences are also being toughened.
This includes harsher penalties for electricity theft, linked to indoor cannabis farms, as well as tighter action on fuel stockpiling, used to supply drug-running boats.
The reform didn’t pass quietly, with the Socialists raising eyebrows by siding with right-wing parties after pressure from Junts to support the changes.
The final stages have also been marked with controversy, with tensions flaring over immigration, public spending and concerns that the tougher approach could unfairly target certain groups.
Even so, the message is clear: Spain is adopting a harder policy on repeat theft, with phone thieves now firmly in the spotlight.
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