Golden State Today

California's substantial investment in combating organized retail theft has led to significant results, with over 10,000 arrests reported within the first nine months of funding. The state allocated more than $267 million to local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors as part of this initiative.

Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the impact of these efforts, stating, "Local law enforcement agencies across California are using state funding and new laws to hold criminals accountable. In less than a year, we’ve seen over 10,000 arrests at the local level — on top of our statewide efforts."

The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) published results for the third quarter ending June 30, 2024. The Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant and the Organized Retail Theft Vertical Prosecution Grant Program have been instrumental in holding thieves accountable.

The ORT Prevention Grant has facilitated a 46% increase in arrests by city police departments and sheriffs' offices. Nearly 8,000 suspects were arrested for organized retail theft alone. Additionally, cases referred for prosecution reached 8,736. The ORT Vertical Prosecution Grant has resulted in charges against 1,643 suspects with 467 convictions so far.

This initiative is supported by recent bipartisan legislation signed by Governor Newsom aimed at cracking down on property crime. This legislation establishes tougher penalties for repeat offenders and provides additional tools for felony prosecutions.

Since 2019, Governor Newsom has invested $1.1 billion to enhance public safety measures across California. These efforts include deploying the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to high-crime areas such as Oakland and San Francisco.

The CHP's multiyear recruitment campaign aims to fill 1,000 officer positions by hiring from diverse communities within California. By mid-2024, CHP received over 11,700 cadet applications—a notable increase from previous years.

In addition to these efforts, CHP's Organized Retail Crime Task Force has made significant strides since its inception in 2019. It has arrested more than 3,200 suspects and recovered stolen goods worth over $46 million through numerous investigations.

Various law enforcement agencies have conducted successful operations throughout California:

- Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department retrieved approximately $4 million in stolen goods.

- Ventura County Sheriff's Department executed blitz operations leading to multiple arrests.

- Costa Mesa Police Department collaborated regionally to arrest suspects involved in grand thefts.

- Los Angeles Police Department dismantled an organized group responsible for flash mob robberies.

- San Francisco Police Department coordinated citywide operations against retail theft crews.

- Multiple Bay Area agencies worked with Home Depot on a joint operation resulting in several arrests.

- Placer County District Attorney’s Office charged a suspect linked to significant theft from an Apple Store.

Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted individuals involved in various criminal activities following extensive investigations.