California's Retail Crime Task Force: Tackling Theft and Making Over 1,000 Arrests in 11 Months

California's Organized Retail Crime Task Force, led by the California Highway Patrol, made over 1,000 arrests in the first 11 months of 2023, marking a 109% increase from the previous year. The task force also recovered more than 187,000 stolen items from retailers. The announcement coincided with the inaugural meeting of the bipartisan California Assembly Select Committee on Retail Theft, which aims to address the ongoing retail theft crisis and evaluate the effectiveness of California Proposition 47, which makes nonviolent property crimes under $950 a misdemeanor.