New FBI data: crime drops across California as retail theft enforcement recovers $75 million in stolen goods

Crime rates continue to drop

The enforcement results come as California continues to see encouraging statewide crime trends. Preliminary 2025 FBI data from California law enforcement agencies covering  83% of the population show additional declines from 2024:

• Violent crime down 9.94% from 2024
• Property crime down 14.35% from 2024
• Murder down an 16.51% from 2024 
• Continued declines in burglary and larceny-theft from 2024 

This crime data is aggregated by the FBI based on reporting from local law enforcement agencies, as well as more complete data taken directly from several larger agencies. If current trends hold, California could see its lowest homicide rate ever recorded once final statewide 2025 data are released.

This recent progress is on top of significant crime declines shown in the 2024 Crime in California report, which showed that property crime and burglary rates in 2024 reached their lowest levels in CA DOJ data dating back to 1969, while overall theft reached the second-lowest level ever recorded:

• Violent crime down 2.1% from 2023
• Property crime down 8.4% from 2023

Making a difference

Since the Task Force’s inception in 2019, CHP-led operations and allied agency partnerships have helped crack down on organized theft rings, protect businesses, and improve community safety throughout the state:

• 4,577 investigations
• 5,134 arrests
• 1,620,803 stolen items recovered
• $74.6 million in stolen goods recovered

So far this year, CHP’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force operations have resulted in:

• 188 investigations
• 119 arrests
• 61,087 stolen goods recovered
• $4.74 million in recovered stolen property

In April 2026 alone, CHP’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force and local partners have delivered significant month-over-month increases in enforcement activity statewide:

• 52 investigations — up 44% from March 2026
• 52 arrests — up 147.6% from March 2026
• 20,552 stolen goods recovered — up 200% from March 2026
• $831,214.41 estimated value recovered — up 45.5% from March 2026

“Organized retail crime affects businesses, employees, consumers, and the safety of California’s communities,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “The unprecedented results we’re seeing stem from strong collaboration among the CHP, local law enforcement, prosecutors, retailers, and our public safety partners. Together, we are disrupting organized theft networks, recovering stolen merchandise, and holding offenders accountable.”

Notable operations

Recent CHP-led operations have targeted coordinated theft crews, fencing operations, and repeat offenders across major retail corridors throughout California. These efforts have recovered thousands of stolen items ranging from luxury goods and electronics to everyday household products, while helping retailers prevent repeat victimization and reduce economic losses tied to organized theft.

On March 12, 2026, a CHP officer and their K-9 stopped a 2021 Honda Accord. After observing criminal activity indicators, the K-9 officer conducted an exterior sniff of the vehicle. The CHP officer conducted a search of the vehicle and located boxes of counterfeit cologne valued at $73,469. The individual contacted during the stop is being investigated for felony possession of counterfeit goods with intent to sell and the investigation remains ongoing.