(Image Credit: IMAGN) California Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Newsom, listen to students from New College of Florida on Wednesday during Newsom's stop at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library in Sarasota on April 5, 2023.
Sacramento, California – Amid growing concerns over retail theft, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday that California’s aggressive crackdown on organized retail crime continues to yield significant results. Since January, the state’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force has conducted 211 investigations, leading to 383 arrests and the recovery of nearly 41,000 stolen items valued at $4.4 million.
Spearheaded by the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the task force ramped up its enforcement efforts in March, making 174 arrests and recovering over $2.1 million in stolen goods — including a major bust of a theft ring in the Bay Area that returned more than $779,000 in merchandise.
“Month after month, this task force delivers strong results,” Newsom said. “We’re committed to supporting California businesses and restoring a sense of safety to storefronts across the state.”
Established in 2019, the task force coordinates with local law enforcement to target large-scale theft rings. One such operation in Lincoln recovered 137 stolen beauty products worth $19,000 and damaged the store by $10,000.
The CHP has conducted more than 3,700 investigations, arrested approximately 4,200 suspects, and recovered more than 1.3 million stolen goods valued at more than $56 million.
CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee praised the team’s efforts, noting their “exceptional dedication and coordination” in taking down criminal networks. “These operations are restoring accountability and safety to our communities,” he said.
The crackdown coincides with a broader decline in crime across the state. According to new data from the Public Policy Institute of California, property crime in the state fell by 8.5% in 2024 compared to the previous year, and violent crime also dropped by 4.6%.
In August, Newsom signed a bipartisan package of laws to curb property crime — the most significant in modern California history. The state’s laws already rank among the toughest nationwide, allowing prosecutors to charge retail theft as a felony for thefts over $950, far lower than thresholds in most other states.
California has invested $1.1 billion in public safety since 2019, including $267 million last year to help 55 communities hire more police and intensify retail theft prevention efforts.
“This is about stronger enforcement, serious penalties, and real consequences,” Newsom said.
