Theft: aggregation.

Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted as an initiative statute by Proposition 47, as approved by the electors at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, makes the theft of money, labor, or property petty theft, punishable as a misdemeanor, whenever the value of the property taken does not exceed $950. Existing California Supreme Court case law allows the value of property taken pursuant to distinct acts of theft to be aggregated to a single count of grand theft if motivated by one intention, one general impulse, and one plan. Existing appellate case law allows the value of property from more than one victim to be aggregated if the thefts were accomplished as a result of one scheme or plan to defraud the victims and a single intent to act. This bill would specify that if the value of the money, labor, real property, or personal property taken or intended to be taken exceeds $950 over the course of distinct but related acts, whether committed against one or more victims, the value of the money, labor, real property, or personal property taken or intended to be taken may properly be aggregated to charge a count of grand theft, if the acts are motivated by one intention, one general impulse, and one plan. The bill would state that these changes are declaratory of existing law.