Junts per Girona is urging the Ajuntament de Girona to formally act as prosecution in criminal proceedings against individuals with repeated convictions for theft. The party has tabled a motion ahead of this month's full council meeting, calling on the city to adopt a protocol within three months that defines when it should intervene legally. Under Organic Law 1/2026 of 8 April, which reformed Spain’s Penal Code on repeat offending, local councils now have the legal standing to appear as private prosecution in aggravated theft cases where there is a clear municipal interest. Gemma Geis, spokesperson for Junts, said the law provides a tool that must not remain unused. She stressed the council should not intervene in every minor theft, but only in cases where crimes are repeated, affect community coexistence, target commercial areas or involve damage to municipal facilities or property.

We have a legal tool to act, and we must respond to affected shopkeepers and residents who ask how many times something must happen before the administration acts,

said Geis.

Coordination with police and social services

The motion also calls for coordination between the Municipal Police, legal services and other city departments when the council decides to act. It proposes ongoing monitoring of judicial processes involving repeat offenders. Geis pointed to Barcelona City Council as an example already applying the measure. In April 2026, Barcelona announced it would begin appearing in court in theft cases under the new law to strengthen urban security and deterrence. On 2 September 2026, the council succeeded in having preventive detention ordered in a repeat offender case after demonstrating sufficient evidence of criminality and high risk of reoffending. Vilanova i la Geltrú also approved a similar municipal protocol on 8 July 2026, requiring prior reports from local police and prosecutors to confirm recidivism, and input from social services to assess vulnerability before proceeding with legal action.

Junts insists the proposal is not about indiscriminate prosecution, but targeted intervention. The group argues that choosing not to use the legal powers available is itself a political decision, and one that fails residents and businesses demanding concrete responses.

Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Ajuntament de Barcelona, cugat.cat. Reported by eixdiari.cat, beteve.cat, laciutat.cat, Secretaría General del Congreso de los Diputados, Redacció Vilanova i la Geltrú, capgros.elnacional.cat, Junts per Sant Cugat, regio7.cat, Gerió Digital.