California: State’s Crackdown on Organized Retail Crime Leads to Nearly 500 Arrests, Recovery of 160,000 Stolen Goods in Just 3 Months
The Californer/10277078

~ Sacramento, California - As the year progresses, state law enforcement officials are on track to surpass previous years' efforts in disrupting organized retail crime in California. Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has already made a record number of arrests and recovered millions of dollars worth of stolen goods since January.

According to the CHP's Organized Retail Crime Task Force, 185 investigations have been conducted since January 2024, resulting in 474 arrests and the recovery of over 160,000 stolen goods valued at $4.2 million. This accounts for almost half of all the stolen goods recovered by the task force in 2023.

Governor Newsom emphasized the state's commitment to leading takedowns and making arrests to ensure community safety. He also acknowledged the crucial role played by law enforcement partners such as police, sheriffs, and district attorneys in shutting down these criminal networks.

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Deputy Commissioner Troy Lukkes of the CHP echoed this sentiment, stating that keeping the public safe is their top priority. He also highlighted how these criminals negatively impact businesses and communities and emphasized their determination to work with other law enforcement agencies to dismantle these networks and hold them accountable.

The CHP's Organized Retail Crime Task Force was established in 2019 and has since been involved in nearly 2,500 investigations resulting in over 2,500 arrests and the recovery of more than 770,000 stolen goods valued at $42.3 million.

In line with California's Real Public Safety Plan, which aims to combat crime and improve public safety, Governor Newsom announced a historic investment towards fighting organized retail crime. This includes an annual increase of 310% in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime as well as special operations across the state.

Since 2019, California has invested $1.1 billion towards fighting crime and supporting local governments in hiring more police officers. With these efforts, the state is determined to continue its fight against organized retail crime and ensure the safety of its communities.

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