By Redacción
redaccion@latinocc.com
In 2025, California’s CHP-led Organized Retail Crime Task Force made 706 arrests and recovered nearly 150,000 stolen goods worth an estimated $8 million, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday.
Over the past seven months, the task force conducted 415 investigations in coordination with state, local, and federal partners. Since its creation, it has recovered more than 1.4 million stolen retail items valued at nearly $60 million, arrested over 4,500 suspects, and participated in almost 4,000 investigations statewide.
“We are serious about stomping out crime rings that target California’s businesses and undermine public safety,” Newsom said. “We appreciate the work of our law enforcement partners statewide to apprehend these bad actors.”
CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee emphasized that organized retail crime impacts both businesses and community safety. “The California Highway Patrol is committed to holding offenders accountable and working with our law enforcement partners across the state to stop these crimes at their source,” he said.
In a notable July operation, authorities dismantled a prolific theft crew affecting multiple retailers in Northern California, including Lululemon, American Eagle, Abercrombie, Hollister, Alo Yoga, and Victoria’s Secret. Working with the Sacramento Police Department, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office, and the Roseville Police Department, officers arrested four individuals, seized an unserialized assault rifle, and recovered more than 1,200 stolen products valued at over $92,000. The investigation remains ongoing.
According to the California Department of Justice, nearly every major crime category declined in 2024, including homicides, aggravated assaults, burglary, robbery, and motor vehicle theft. The homicide rate is now the second lowest since at least 1966, with homicides down nearly 12% from 2023. Motor vehicle thefts dropped by 13% — the first year-over-year decrease since 2019 — and 92% of stolen vehicles were recovered.
California has invested $1.7 billion since 2019 in crime prevention and public safety. Last year, Newsom signed bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening property crime laws, expanding enforcement, and adapting to evolving criminal tactics.
Ongoing regional operations target vehicle theft and organized crime in key areas, including Oakland, Bakersfield, and San Bernardino, with reported positive results in surrounding counties.
