Sacramento, California – Continuing to prioritize local and state partnerships to keep Californians safe, Governor Gavin Newsom on Jul 29 announced significant accomplishments in battling organized retail theft and prosecuting criminals for their actions. Between October 2023 and March 2025, state-funded local law enforcement operations resulted in the arrest of  more than 22,100 suspects and the referral of nearly 17,100 cases for prosecution. Through this state-funded work, law enforcement agencies have been able to recover nearly $150 million in stolen property.

The funding has 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.

Proposed by Governor Newsom and distributed by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), the grants have proved to be critical in supporting law enforcement and the retail community.

As reported by grantees, law enforcement was able to recover nearly $150 million in stolen goods from October 2023 to March 2025.