An organized retail theft crackdown by the state of California has yielded positive results, according to a recent press release issued by Governor Gavin Newsom.

There have been more than 25,000 arrests since October 2023.

Within the last quarter, law enforcement recovered $40 million in stolen goods.

The governor’s office highlighted examples of recent busts:

• The Sacramento Sheriff’s Office arrested four suspects, all Colombian nationals, involved in multiple jewelry store thefts. The crew is suspected to be part of a highly sophisticated, international theft ring, with ties to cartels. The jewelry theft resulted in a loss of more than a million dollars.
• The Ventura County District Attorney’s and Sheriff’s Offices recently brought down a nine-member organized retail theft ring responsible for the nation’s largest series of thefts across Home Depot stores. The sophisticated network was responsible for at least $10 million in stolen goods and more than 600 thefts across Southern California, with the ringleader facing 45 felony counts.
• The Modesto Police Department reports a 41 percent decrease in stolen vehicles, as well as decreases in other property crimes.

This year alone, the state’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force has made nearly 800 arrests, conducted over 500 investigations, and recovered over 150,000 stolen goods with an estimated retail value of $8.6 million.