What you need to know: 14,133 cases have been referred to district attorneys’ offices through a community grant investment proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom to root out organized retail crime and hold bad actors accountable.

Sacramento, California - Marking a significant accomplishment of the law enforcement community in battling organized retail theft, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced 14,133 referrals for prosecution in the first year of the state’s organized retail theft and vertical prosecution grants. 

Proposed by Governor Newsom and distributed by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) from October 2023 to December 2024, this grant funding of $267 million to 55 communities has enabled cities and counties to hire more police and secure more felony charges against suspects.

As we continue investing in public safety, we keep seeing strong, positive results - more officers, more crime deterrents and more case prosecutions. Our commitment to our neighborhoods is paying off. - Governor Gavin Newsom

According to program participants, of the 14,133 case referrals for prosecution, 10,932 were for organized retail theft, 3,161 were for motor vehicle theft and 40 were for cargo theft. Of the 1,150 people convicted of theft-related property crimes, a total of 373 of those related to organized retail theft. Of those organized retail theft convictions, 88% were felonies.

The funding is split between two grant programs with unique applicants for each. The prevention program grantees compile arrest and referral data, while prosecution grant participants record charges, convictions and sentencing. Future reporting may include updates on charges, convictions and sentencing as they move through the criminal justice legal system. 

“The ORT grants are enabling our law enforcement partners to transform their approach in combating organized retail theft,” said BSCC Board Chair Linda Penner. “The impact is broad and successful.”

Dedicated prevention and prosecution programs

The organized retail theft grant program is made up of two separate, competitive three-year grants: prevention and vertical prosecution. The prevention grant provided 38 law enforcement agencies with over $242 million in funding for purchasing new equipment, launching enhanced enforcement operations, hiring new staff, and establishing partnerships with the retail community. 

“The ORT Grant has led to phenomenal results in Fresno.  We have been able to build relationships and trust with our retailers, and work closely with our partner law enforcement agencies – we are now sharing intelligence across the entire Central Valley,” said Fresno Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Landon. “When you are able to give talented people the resources they need to get the job done, it’s a real game-changer in solving crime.”

Notable highlights include: 

• Recovery of $1.2 million of stolen property and $400,000 seized by the Fresno Police Department. The Department also credits the grant funding with lowering their auto theft rate by 38%. License plate reader equipment purchased through grant funding assisted police in locating a suspect in a carjacking incident that included the safe recovery of a three-year old child sitting in the vehicle when it was stolen.
• San Francisco Police Department arrested eight individuals suspected of participating in 23 organized retail theft incidents, responsible for the theft of $84,000 of stolen goods from various Walgreens locations.
• San Ramon Police Department conducted targeted investigations that led to warrants for two individuals responsible for over $42,000 in thefts from ULTA Beauty and Sephora stores, as well as three people connected to over $100,000 in losses at multiple ULTA locations.

The vertical prosecution grant funded an effective prosecution model that allows a prosecutor to focus on a case from beginning to end, providing victims and law enforcement a single point of contact. Over $24 million was provided to 13 district attorneys’ offices.

“The Vertical Prosecution Grant has been a catalyst for enhancing communication and empowering our community, from retailers to law enforcement,” said Sonoma County Chief Deputy District Attorney Scott Jamar. “It has allowed us to concentrate our efforts using technologically assisted analytics to identify suspects, often in real-time, and build prosecutable cases.  This is smart law enforcement.”

Notable highlights include: 

• Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office identified multiple organized retail theft suspects as a direct result of working with retailers and the Santa Rosa Police Department through grant-funded technology, resulting in the arrests of two suspects for jewelry theft and recovering $16,000 worth of jewelry in less than 96 hours.  The county now has monthly “blitz” operations.
• Yolo County District Attorney’s Office launched a new innovative Direct-to-DA retailer reporting program designed to dramatically expedite the investigation and prosecution of retail crimes. The “FastPass to Prosecution” program was launched in the Fall of 2023 and led to successful prosecution of organized retail theft crimes. 
• Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office developed a successful public education strategy, along with a single point of contact for retailers and law enforcement agencies with bi-monthly meetings. The stronger partnership has led to an increase in the number of arrests for theft, with some retailers reporting 90% reductions in losses, in addition to improved employee morale.

In addition to the first-year report, the BSCC also launched online dashboards displaying data for both grant programs. 

New data suggests violent and property crime went down in 2024. According to an analysis of Real Time Crime Index data by the Public Policy Institute of California, property crime dropped by 8.5% and violent crime dropped by 4.6% in 2024, compared to 2023. Burglary and larceny also went down by 13.6% and 18.6%, respectively, compared to pre-pandemic levels. 

Cracking down on retail theft 

The BSCC recently released $127 million to continue funding mental health services, substance-use disorder treatment and diversion programs in local communities. Potential applicants for this funding include drug and mental health treatment programs eligible under both Proposition 47 and Proposition 36.  Although Proposition 36 did not include a funding mechanism to support its related programs, the BSCC has discretion to use funding from Proposition 47 for this purpose.

Citing ongoing progress to takedown organized retail crime statewide, Governor Newsom recently announced the state’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force has been involved in over 3,700 investigations, leading to the arrest of approximately 4,200 suspects and the recovery of over 1.3 million stolen goods valued at more than $56 million.

Last August, 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 at near historic lows, these laws help California adapt to evolving criminal tactics to ensure perpetrators are effectively held accountable.

California law provides existing robust tools for law enforcement and prosecutors to arrest and charge suspects involved in organized retail crime - including up to three years of jail time for organized retail theft. The state has the 10th toughest threshold nationally for prosecutors to charge suspects with a felony, $950. 40 other states - including Texas ($2,500), Alabama ($1,500), and Mississippi ($1,000) - require higher dollar amounts for suspects to be charged with a felony.

Saturating key areas 

Working collaboratively to heighten public safety, the Governor tasked the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to work with local law enforcement areas in key areas to saturate high-crime areas, aiming to reduce roadway violence and criminal activity in the area, specifically vehicle theft and organized retail crime. Since the inception of this regional initiative, there have been nearly 6,000 arrests, about 4,500 stolen vehicles recovered, and nearly 300 firearms confiscated across Bakersfield, San Bernardino and Oakland.

Stronger enforcement. Serious penalties. Real consequences.

California has invested $1.1 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.