Golden State Today

State law enforcement officials in California have made 636 arrests and recovered 216,754 stolen goods valued at nearly $5.7 million in the last five months, as part of their ongoing efforts to combat organized retail crime. This marks a significant increase compared to the same period last year, with arrests up by 167%, recovered stolen goods rising by 525%, and their estimated value increasing by 140%.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced these figures, highlighting the success of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) through the state’s Organized Retail Crime Taskforce. "Month after month, California is seeing the results of taking down organized retail crime in communities statewide. Our collaboration with local partners allows us to continue taking back stolen items and holding those accountable for this unacceptable crime," stated Governor Newsom.

Since its inception in 2019, the task force has been involved in over 2,600 investigations, leading to more than 2,700 arrests and the recovery of over 827,000 stolen goods valued at $43.8 million. CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee emphasized the importance of these efforts: “Through increased enforcement efforts and strategic partnerships, our dedicated investigators continue to achieve remarkable success in combating organized retail crime in California.”

California has committed $1.1 billion since 2019 to fight crime, assist local governments in hiring more police officers, and improve public safety. In 2023, under California’s Real Public Safety Plan, Governor Newsom announced an unprecedented investment to combat organized retail crime—an annual increase of 310% in proactive operations targeting such crimes.

The CHP collaborates with partners in San Francisco, Oakland, and Bakersfield to enhance public safety. Recent data from the Oakland Police Department indicates a 33% drop in crime compared to last year, with decreases across nearly all types of crimes including burglary, robbery, car theft, larceny, arson, homicide, and assault. Similarly, San Francisco has reported significant reductions in both violent and property crimes year-over-year.