California’s retail theft crime task force uncovered $850,000 in stolen goods and arrested multiple suspects on felony charges in operations out of Orange and Alameda counties.
“Our organized retail crime task force throughout the state is cracking down on criminal organizations and holding thieves and resellers accountable,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in an Aug. 26 press release. “These arrests and operations should put criminals on notice—we won’t tolerate retail theft and will take you down.”
In Alameda County, part of the Bay Area, an organized theft ring was taken down after a month-long investigation, resulting in the seizure of $450,000 in stolen merchandise and the arrest of the alleged ringleader.
And in Southern California, the leader of a scheme to sell counterfeit and stolen goods, along with a father-daughter duo, were arrested and charged with multiple felonies after a task force investigation uncovered their activities. More than $400,000 worth of stolen products were seized, according to the governor’s press release.
Law enforcement officials will continue operating the organized retail theft task force responsible for the recent arrests, after Newsom signed into law Aug. 16 a bill that removed a sunset clause established by prior law.
That means organized retail theft offenders will continue to be charged with a specific crime, punishable as a misdemeanor or felony.
Jones-Sawyer was the original author of Assembly Bill 1065, which established the crime of organized retail theft when it was passed in 2018. Jones-Sawyer was also the author of Assembly Bill 331, a 2021 bill that re-enacted the crime of organized retail theft and placed the January 2026 sunset on the crime and the task force.
“AB 1802 removes the sunset on the crime of organized retail theft and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) property crimes task force, making these tools permanently available to California law enforcement and prosecutors,” said a May press release from Jones-Sawyer’s office.
“The bill aims to prevent retail theft and protect public safety,” Jones-Sawyer told The Epoch Times.
With businesses across California impacted by retail theft issues, some lawmakers prioritized mitigating organized retail theft during the current legislative session.
The bill’s author noted an increase in commercial burglary and robbery in the past year and said the measure is needed to continue addressing crime and to deter criminals from participating in organized theft schemes.
“Retail theft has been a growing concern in California and is an increasingly frequent topic of discussion in the Legislature,” Jones-Sawyer said in legislative analyses. “AB 1802 will maintain the ability of law enforcement to adequately respond to retail crime. In doing so, it will ensure law enforcement and businesses have continued access to a vital tool needed to address this ongoing issue.”
Supporters, including Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón—who has filed almost 500 organized retail theft cases in 2024—said in legislative analyses that the bill extends “one of the most important tools we have to combat the problem of retail theft.”
Hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen merchandise was returned to retailers in Los Angeles County as a result of the task force and investigations, according to the district attorney’s office.
“Retail theft is a significant public policy problem as it not only negatively impacts California merchants but also for everyday Californians who feel less safe shopping in our communities but who are also harmed and inconvenienced by retail store closures in their local neighborhoods,” Gascón said.
Since its formation in 2019, the state’s task force has conducted nearly 3,000 investigations, recovered more than $43 million worth of stolen goods, and arrested more than 2,700 suspects, according to CHP statistics.
“Month after month, California is seeing the results of taking down organized retail crime in communities statewide,” Newsom said in the press release. “Our collaboration with local partners allows us to continue taking back stolen items and holding those accountable for this unacceptable crime.”
The official in charge of the task force said the efforts are improving public safety across California.
“Through increased enforcement efforts and strategic partnerships, our dedicated investigators continue to achieve remarkable success in combating organized retail crime in California,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in the governor’s press release. “The significant increase in arrests and recovery of stolen merchandise underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and supporting businesses.”
Opponents argued that prior law was sufficient to cover organized retail theft crimes and that no new crimes were needed.
“Prosecutors seeking to bring more serious charges against organized groups engaged in retail thefts have always been able to do so, without the necessity of AB 331. This is precisely why a sunset provision was originally included—to wait and see whether AB 331 was anything other than a duplicative.”
Removing the sunset date on the bill so far in advance of the January 2026 date established by AB 331 is also unnecessary, according to the group.
The Assembly’s appropriations committee estimated that costs to the state would include “an unknown but significant amount” to courts.
To run the task force, the California Highway Patrol reported $9.8 million in annual costs in fiscal year 2022-23 and forecast a cost of about $14 million for each fiscal year moving forward.
