The Californer - California: Organized retail crime investigations up 31x since Governor Newsom took office

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Jan 13, 2026

Organized retail crime investigations up 31x since Governor Newsom took office

State officials recover $17 million in big-ticket retail theft items just last year

What you need to know: In 2025, state officials recovered more than 270,000 stolen goods worth nearly $17 million through proactive operations statewide.

SACRAMENTO – Gavin Newsom today announced that since he took office, organized retail crime investigations at the local and state level have increased by 3,000%, from 24 in 2019 to 734 in 2025, thanks to record state funding and new efforts. Recapping the coordinated work done by state law enforcement officials to take down organized retail crime statewide, the Governor also announced a record number of high-ticket stolen assets recovered – nearly $17 million – over the course of the last 12 months.

Through 734 investigations and 1,208 arrests for organized retail crime, the California Highway Patrol seized more than 272,000 stolen items in 2025 alone.

Our organized retail crime enforcement efforts are delivering real results — dismantling organized retail theft networks, recovering tens of millions of dollars in stolen goods, and making thousands of arrests tied to sophisticated criminal rings operating across our state. These operations continue to send a clear message: California will not tolerate organized crime that preys on working families, small businesses, and local communities.

Governor Gavin Newsom

Takedowns on the rise since 2019

CHP officers, with the help of public safety funding, increased recruitment efforts, legislative action, and more solid partnerships, have been able to grow their organized retail crime operations year after year. And the results speak for themselves – CHP has significantly increased investigations, arrests, and asset recovery, when compared to 7 years ago.

Led by the CHP, this work is done through the Organized Retail Crime Task Force (Task Force), which works with state, local, and federal partners to tackle retail crime statewide and increase public safety through nation-leading new laws and years of state investments to combat crime.

In December alone, officers conducted 103 investigations, made 239 arrests, and recovered 59,992 assets worth an estimated $1.2 million.

"The establishment of our Organized Retail Crime Task Force in 2019 marked a clear commitment to confronting this growing threat head-on," said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. "Through consistent enforcement, strong partnerships and hundreds of arrests each year, we continue to target those who exploit retail theft for profit. Addressing organized retail crime is essential to safeguarding public safety, supporting lawful businesses, and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve."

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.

Taking down retail theft operations, helping Californians

In September 2025, the Task Force arrested an individual in Alameda County linked to a major fencing operation. The investigation revealed 10 individuals were selling stolen retail goods across Northern California at flea markets in Santa Clara, Alameda, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Sacramento counties. On December 11, 2025, CHP, with assisting agencies, served search warrants at multiple locations. They arrested 13 suspects, recovered 2 illegal firearms, and recovered over $800,000 in stolen merchandise. The suspects were booked into Placer County Jail, and the investigation is ongoing.

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On November 19th, the Task Force was alerted by Sephora about a male suspect stealing product across the Bay Area and Central California. Using Flock Safety cameras, investigators tracked the suspect's vehicle license plate and intercepted the subject on I-5 in Fresno County, seizing over 1,000 assets valued at $34,827. The suspect had also committed thefts in San Diego, Palm Springs, and other Southern California locations. The investigation is ongoing and is expected to lead to more arrests and recoveries.

A retail theft operation by the Task Force at a Sacramento Target on November 21 led to 5 arrests, the recovery of 91 items, and the protective custody of a juvenile human trafficking victim. Human trafficking investigators are continuing the investigation.

An illicit fence operation was identified in San Ramon in November 2025. A search warrant was conducted that seized 5,932 cosmetic items with a value of approximately $182,920.59.

On November 25, CHP officers conducted another retail theft operation at the Home Depot in Sacramento, which resulted in 4 arrests and 122 items recovered.

During the holidays, the Task Force participated over several days in a multi-location, multi-agency organized retail crime blitz in the city of Roseville. The operation conducted 137 arrests.

In addition, the Task Force in Anaheim identified two suspects in multiple CVS thefts dating back to early 2025. Following a CHP enforcement stop in the Fresno area on December 10, 2025, investigators recovered over 850 cosmetic items, valued at more than $10,000, from the suspects' vehicle.

Crime is down

According to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, new data show crime declining nearly across the board statewide, including an 18% drop in homicides, an 18% reduction in robberies, and a 9% decrease in aggravated assaults year over year. Violent crime declined in every California jurisdiction reporting data, with the largest reductions in Oakland (25%) and San Francisco (21%).

Not every major city is seeing California's same results: violent crime increased in Atlanta (+19%) and Omaha (+4%), and homicides rose in El Paso (+26%) and Arlington (+20%).

Significant public safety investments

California has invested $1.7 billion since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. 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, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

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As part of the largest-ever state investment to fight organized retail crime, Governor Newsom announced in 2023 that the state allocated $267 million to 55 communities to help them combat this issue. These funds have allowed cities and counties to hire more police officers, make more arrests, and pursue more felony charges against suspects.

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