CHP and ORCTF recover $76.2 million worth of stolen goods in California

LOS ANGELES:- Since the formation of the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF), California has recovered over 1.6 million stolen items valued at more than $76.2 million.

Working in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies and retailers, the task force has arrested more than 5,300 suspects, dismantled organized theft rings, and helped protect businesses and consumers across California.

Governor Gavin Newsom says, “We are tackling organized retail theft from every angle—through investigations, arrests, prosecutions, and partnerships. Criminal organizations need to understand this: we will not tolerate criminals here.”

Since the establishment of the ORCTF, operations led by the CHP and partner agencies have helped apprehend organized theft rings, support retailers, and keep California communities free from crime.

“The progress we have achieved since forming the ‘Organized Retail Crime Task Force’ in 2019 demonstrates the power of collaboration,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “By working alongside law enforcement agencies across the state, retailers, prosecutors, and the public, we have dismantled organized theft rings, recovered stolen goods worth millions of dollars, and held criminals accountable.”

Recent CHP-led operations targeting organized retail theft rings, fencing operations, and repeat offenders across the state have resulted in the recovery of thousands of stolen items.

Thousands of stolen retail items have been recovered. On June 16, investigators executed a search warrant at the home of a suspect linked to multiple targeted thefts across Southern California.

Officials recovered thousands of stolen trading cards valued at approximately $15,000, along with two firearms—one of which had been reported stolen. The case is being reviewed for potential gang-related enhancements.

According to released data, the homicide rate dropped by 18.6%—with reported homicides falling from 1,666 to 1,374—while the robbery rate decreased by 19.9%.

Similarly, the property crime rate has decreased by 14.3%, while the motor vehicle theft rate fell by 25.8%—the largest percentage decline among major crime categories.

California is making meaningful progress in improving public safety, with declines across every major statewide crime rate in 2025. The report also finds that California has recorded its lowest homicide rate since statewide data collection began in 1966, reflecting years of coordinated investment to make communities safer.

Crime rates in California have declined: the homicide rate dropped by 20%, robbery by 31%, property crime by 24%, motor vehicle theft by 19%, and violent crime by 3%.

An operation targeting retail theft resulted in 13 arrests. On June 26, the CHP partnered with retailers such as Nordstrom and Nike at the Outlets at Orange; the operation led to 13 arrests and the recovery of 87 stolen retail items valued at over $4,100.

The administration has also made significant investments in a statewide public safety partnership, comprising over $2.1 billion to support organized retail theft enforcement, prosecution efforts, local crime suppression initiatives, and collaborative law enforcement operations.

California has combined record investments in local law enforcement with robust tools to combat organized retail theft. The state has invested over $267 million across 55 communities to help local agencies investigate organized theft networks, deploy new technology, hire officers, and prosecute offenders.

In 2024, the state government has strengthened enforcement against retail theft, property crimes, vandalism, smash-and-grab robberies, and auto thefts, and has provided law enforcement and prosecutors with new tools to hold offenders accountable.