HYDE-SMITH AGAIN JOINS EFFORT TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR ‘SMASH-AND-GRAB’ GUN THEFTS

HYDE-SMITH AGAIN JOINS EFFORT TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR 'SMASH-AND-GRAB' GUN THEFTS

'Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act' Reintroduced to Crack Down on Criminals Who Target Licensed Gun & Ammo Dealers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) is again supporting legislation to increase the prison penalties for "smash-and-grab" thefts from federally licensed firearms and ammunition dealers.

Hyde-Smith this week joined U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in reintroducing the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Protection Act (S.4671) to address the persistent and dangerously high rate of attacks targeting licensed gun dealers.

"Law-abiding citizens who want to own a firearm don't engage in smash-and-grab robberies. It's the criminal element committing these crimes that leads to more illegal firearms on our streets and more crime. It's past time to enact this legislation to put stiffer prison sentences on the books for these criminals," said Senator Hyde-Smith, who has cosponsored Graham's legislation in the past two Congresses.

"I am proud to reintroduce this important legislation to make 'smash-and-grabs' more costly for criminals. Americans have a right to lawfully buy, own and sell firearms - criminals who steal them must pay the price," said Senator Graham.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reported that from 2021 to 2025, 4,046 FFL theft incidents were reported, involving a total of 23,319 firearms stolen from FFLs. A March 2026 ATF report on FFL firearms thefts and losses indicated at least 17 reports of burglary and larceny in Mississippi involving 91 firearms in 2025.

The FFL Protection Act of 2026 would:

• Increase the statutory maximum penalty for knowingly stealing any firearm in an FFL's business inventory from 10 to 20 years.
• Impose a mandatory minimum three-year sentence for burglary from an FFL and a minimum five-year sentence for robbery from an FFL.
• Criminalize the attempted theft of a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector.

The FFL Protection Act is supported by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).

"This legislation is what true gun safety looks like. Congress is sending a clear message that the safety of our communities is nonnegotiable and targeting firearm retailers to steal guns in order to commit further crimes is intolerable," said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

Additional original cosponsors of S.4671 include U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

The measure has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.

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