California’s historic investments to curb retail theft result in 29,060 arrests $226 million in recovered goods in two years

SACRAMENTO – As a direct result of state investment and Governor Gavin Newsom’s sustained commitment to disrupting criminal activity, local law enforcement agencies arrested 29,060 suspects and referred nearly 22,896 cases for prosecution related to organized retail theft over a two-year period. From October 2023 to September 2025, law enforcement agencies, assisted by historic state funding, have helped increase public safety and crack down on organized retail theft.

Most recently, from July to September 2025, local law enforcement agencies conducted over 3,300 arrests and recovered nearly $36 million in stolen goods. 

These results drove the total amount of recovered stolen goods that agencies have been able to recover to more than $226 million, a total increase of nearly 19% over the three-month period.

In 2023, as part of California’s Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history. Through the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), the organized retail theft grants have provided 38 law enforcement agencies with over $242 million in funding to purchase new equipment, launch enhanced enforcement operations, hire new staff, and establish partnerships with the retail community. 

“The ORT grants are providing local law enforcement the tools necessary to strategically dismantle retail crime networks,” said BSCC Board Chair Linda Penner. “With thousands of arrests and millions of dollars in recovered goods, we are successfully building a more secure environment for California’s businesses and residents alike.”

The grants continue to bolster the success of local law enforcement in supporting the retail community and combating retail crime. 

Notable highlights include:

Equipment purchased through grant funds assisted the Delano Police Department in locating and arresting an armed robbery suspect who had brandished a firearm and demanded money at a local bank.

The Garden Grove Police Department noted a remarkable decrease in auto thefts of 38% since the implementation of programs funded by the grant.

The Irvine Police Department detectives used grant funds to identify and arrest suspects who stole merchandise from the Irvine Ulta, as well as suspects involved in additional thefts in nearby Lake Forest and Mission Viejo, totaling $10,000. The suspects were documented gang members with prior weapons violations.

Several cargo theft arrests were made by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, including suspects responsible for a Kohl’s warehouse theft valued at $340,000, a Compton area warehouse theft that included 68 pallets of Monster energy drinks and 35 pallets of New Balance shoes valued at $550,000 dollars, and, in another surveillance-driven operation in coordination with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and Redlands Police Department, a crew of South American Theft Group suspects were arrested in connection with multiple thefts at the Cabazon Outlets.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also arrested eight suspects through an investigation of multiple vehicles, a trailer, and 40 pallets of computers valued at $1.4 million dollars. The operation resulted in a full recovery of goods, and suspects were also arrested for weapons and drug charges.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s Cargo Theft Unit worked collaboratively with the Union Pacific Police Department and the Los Angeles Port Police to execute a search warrant that resulted in the recovery of $4.5 million of stolen cargo and rail goods.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department conducted multiple blitz operations during the reporting quarter, resulting in 24 arrests. The department notes an overall decrease in recent arrests and credits grant-funded efforts to combat retail theft. One notable case involved the arrest of a repeat offender responsible for reselling over $70,000 in stolen cordless tools and batteries.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department investigated an online marketplace account believed to be selling stolen goods. Working with Target investigators, the department executed a search warrant that yielded over $38,000 in stolen goods from Target, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.

Prosecuting organized retail theft rings

In addition, the BSCC has also provided over $24 million to 13 district attorneys’ offices through a vertical prosecution grant program that allows the same prosecutors to focus on a case from beginning to end, providing victims and law enforcement a single point of contact. 

Although independent of the prevention grant outcomes, 2,219 people were convicted by grantees of theft-related property crimes, an increase of over 17% from the last quarter of data. Of those, 755 convictions were specifically related to organized retail theft, including 654 felony convictions, or over 86%. Grantees expect the number of convictions achieved through the grant program to continue to rise in the next few quarters.

Notable highlights include:

The Placer County District Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted a prolific organized retail theft suspect responsible for nearly $30,000 in theft from Lululemon stores, including cases from multiple counties across the state. The defendant was found guilty of all counts and is now serving a ten-year prison sentence.

Arrests in one of the largest retail theft cases in the nation involved a high-level, sophisticated theft ring responsible for multiple Home Depot thefts totaling $10 million. Grant funds allowed the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office to spend several months in an active investigation that led to the arrest of nine suspects for multiple felonies.

The FastPass retail theft prosecution program, created through grant funds by the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, continues to build strong relationships with the local retail community, enhancing their collective ability to address retail theft. The program now operates county-wide, creating greater opportunities for reporting organized retail crime and facilitating prosecution.

In total, $267 million in grant funding to 55 communities have enabled cities and counties to hire more police and secure more felony charges against suspects.

Complementing the work done by the CHP

In addition to this vital funding for local law enforcement, the state also works to stop retail theft through the California Highway Patrol’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force. State officers work with local and federal partners to tackle retail crime statewide. Since the inception of this task force in 2019, the CHP has been involved in over 4,300 investigations, leading to the arrest of over 5,000 suspects and the recovery of over 1.5 million stolen goods valued at nearly $70 million as of December 31, 2025. 

Through various partnerships and investments, the state is seeing real progress at increasing public safety and stopping bad actors once and for all. 

Investing in California’s public safety 

While Republicans in Congress pushed their “big beautiful betrayal” bill, cutting funding to vital public safety programs, California demonstrated what real public safety looks like: serious investments, strong enforcement, and real results. California has invested $2.1 billion since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. 

In August 2024, Governor Newsom signed into law the most significant bipartisan legislation to crack down on property crime in modern California history. Building on the state’s robust laws and record public safety funding, these bipartisan bills offer new tools to bolster ongoing efforts to hold criminals accountable for smash-and-grab robberies, property crime, retail theft, and auto burglaries. While California’s crime rate remains near-historic lows, these laws help the state adapt to evolving criminal tactics, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable.