File
photo
of
a
2017
Ferrari
convertible,
one
of
the
types
of
cars
allegedly
stolen
last
week
by
teens
in
Australia,
which
they
posted
about
on
social
media.
Photo:
Johnnie
Rik
(Shutterstock)
Three teens who allegedly stole high-end cars in Australia last week have been charged with the crimes you’d expect anyone to face for stealing property, according to a new report from the Sydney Morning Herald. But two of the teens are also being charged under a new law that criminalizes posting about your crimes on sites like X, TikTok, and YouTube—known as so-called “post and boast” laws, which are punishing social media activity as a way to deter future crimes.
The three teenagers, aged 15, 17, and 18, allegedly stole three luxury cars in the town of Doral, just outside Sydney last week according to a press release from the New South Wales Police. The 15-year-old and the 18-year-old posted to social media about the crimes, though it’s unclear what sites they were using.
The state of New South Wales, which includes the city of Sydney, passed a law last month that adds two extra years in jail for anyone convicted of a motor vehicle offense who proceeded to “advertise their involvement in the criminal behavior” on social media.
Lawmakers
in
Australia
argued
that
people
who
post
photos
and
videos
of
their
crimes
on
social
media
were
retraumatizing
victims,
which
warrants
a
stronger
punishment.
“This
behavior
is
unacceptable
and
has
to
stop.
People
have
a
right
to
sleep
safe
in
their
beds
in
the
sanctity
of
their
home
and
should
not
have
to
face
being
retraumatized,
ridiculed
and
shamed
with
images
of
the
crime
being
made
into
a
warped
kind
of
‘entertainment’,”
NSW
Attorney
General
Michael
Daley
said
in
a
press
release
when
the
law
was
passed
in
March.
These kinds of laws aren’t just catching on in Australia. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a law that added harsher penalties for anyone who organizes retail theft through social media. It’s now a second-degree felony to commit retail theft with five or more people using social media “to solicit others to participate in the theft.”
The
minors
in
Australia
who
allegedly
stole
the
cars
are
scheduled
to
face
children’s
court
this
week,
while
the
18-year-old
will
appear
in
regular
court
on
Wednesday.
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