California retail theft task force made 171 arrests in August

California's task force targeting organized retail theft continues to step up its operations, announcing 171 arrests and the recovery of $547,000 worth of stolen merchandise last month alone, officials said.

The California Organized Retail Crime Task Force, which is led by the California Highway Patrol, has made 1,055 arrests so far this year, seizing an estimated $7.8 million worth of allegedly stolen merchandise, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday. The 573 investigations conducted by the team thus far in 2024 already surpasses the total number of investigation conducted in all of 2023.

"Month after month, the CHP’s tireless efforts to crack down on organized crime continue to yield results," Newsom said. "The state has no plans on letting up soon, and will continue its progress in protecting California’s businesses and communities while holding criminals to account."

Since the task force was formed in 2019, officers have made more than 3,100 arrests and recovered nearly $46 million in merchandise, the governor's office said in a written statement.

Strengthening penalties

Last week, Newsom signed legislation to increase penalties for large-scale retail theft and "smash and grabs."

The bill, AB 1960 by State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. D-Salinas, increases jail time for high-dollar amount thefts.

It allows for an additional year if imprisonment to be added to convicts' sentences if the value of the loss exceeds $50,000, two years if the value exceeds $200,000, three years if the value exceeds $1 million, and four years if the value is greater than $3 million.

The new law also allows the value of property damaged or destroyed during the course of a felony theft to be added to the total amount of loss.

The sentencing guidelines may also be applied to those knowingly receive or resell stole property, according to a statement from the governor's office.

"California already has some of the strictest retail and property crime laws in the nation — and we have made them even stronger with our recent legislation," Newsom said upon signing AB 1960. "We can be tough on crime while also being smart on crime — we don’t need to go back to broken policies of the last century. Mass incarceration has been proven ineffective and is not the answer — we need true accountability and strategies that enhance our nation-leading efforts to address crime."

Rivas said the purpose of the law was "to hold appropriately responsible those who damage stores and property, because our business owners and workers should not have to live in fear that these crimes will come to their doorstep."

"Violent ‘sledgehammer crimes’ and flash-mob attacks by organized gangs must stop now," he said.

Support from retailers, law enforcement

California Retailers Association president and CEO Rachel Michelin praised the legislation.

"The California Retailers Association applauds Speaker Rivas, the bill’s author, and Governor Newsom for their ongoing leadership in addressing retail crime in California and ensuring retailers, law enforcement and district attorneys have all the tools they need to hold criminals accountable for retail theft across the state," she said.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he also supported the policy.

"By implementing stricter sentencing enhancements for the value of stolen property, we are sending a strong message to criminals that preying on other people’s possessions will not be tolerated," he said. "This piece of legislation is vital in ensuring that those who continue to undermine our community’s well-being face appropriate consequences, ultimately creating a safer environment for all."

Criminal justice policy debate goes to the ballot

But proponents of Proposition 36 on the upcoming November ballot argue recent legislative actions meant to curb crime don't go far enough.

The proposition, which would roll back some portions of California's Proposition 47 of 2014, which reduced many drug- and property-related crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.

"California is suffering from a continued explosion in crime and trafficking of deadly hard drugs like fentanyl because the people committing these crimes do not face serious consequences," according Yes on Prop 36 – Californians for Safer Communities. "Prop 36 will create real accountability for those habitually breaking these laws and making our communities less safe."

The proposition would return some crimes back to felony status, increase some sentences, allow for felony prosecution of some drug crimes, such as fentanyl possession, and eliminate some of the sentence reductions put in place by Proposition 47.

It would also allow for thefts with values below $950 to be prosecuted as felonies for defendants with two or more prior theft-related convictions.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: California retail theft task force made 171 arrests in August