Golden State Today

The California Organized Retail Crime Task Force has made significant strides over the past few months. Since January, the task force has conducted 211 investigations, leading to 383 arrests and the recovery of nearly 41,000 stolen items valued at $4.4 million. These efforts are spearheaded by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed the state's ongoing commitment to supporting businesses through retail theft enforcement. "The state remains committed to supporting businesses through continued retail theft enforcement, which month after month yields strong results. I thank the California Highway Patrol and others in our Organized Retail Crime Task Force for instilling a sense of safety and support at California’s storefronts."

In March alone, the task force, in collaboration with local law enforcement, made 174 arrests and successfully recovered stolen assets valued at $2,134,742. Notably, during an operation in February, a theft ring in the Bay Area was dismantled, recovering merchandise valued at over $779,000. Efforts in March led to the arrest of a suspect in Lincoln who had stolen $19,000 worth of merchandise, with $10,000 in store damage.

New data analyzed by the Public Policy Institute of California indicates a decrease in crime rates in 2024, with property crime down by 8.5% and violent crime decreasing by 4.6%. Burglary and larceny rates also dropped compared to pre-pandemic levels.

CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee credited the task force's effectiveness to their dedication and coordination. “The CHP’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force teams have demonstrated exceptional dedication and coordination, leading to significant disruptions of criminal networks targeting California’s businesses,” said Duryee.

Since its inception in 2019, the task force has led over 3,700 investigations, resulting in approximately 4,200 suspects arrested and the recovery of 1.3 million stolen goods valued at over $56 million.

Governor Newsom has previously signed bipartisan legislation to combat property crime. California enforces a strong legal framework to apprehend and prosecute suspects involved in organized retail crime, with penalties including up to three years of jail time.

Efforts to combat retail crime involve saturating high-crime zones, notably in areas like Bakersfield, San Bernardino, and Oakland. This initiative has resulted in nearly 6,000 arrests, recovery of about 4,500 stolen vehicles, and confiscation of nearly 300 firearms.

Since 2019, California has invested $1.1 billion to escalate crime-fighting measures, with a $267 million fund distributed to 55 communities to aid in local law enforcement efforts against organized retail crime.