SACRAMENTO – According to Gov. Newsom’s office, the quarter billion dollars plus the state awarded one year ago to cities and counties to combat organized retail crime – and smash and grab thefts in particular – has paid dividends statewide.
On Sept. 12, 2024, Newsom’s office issued two press releases regarding the Governor’s “get tough on retail crime” stance. According to one of the releases, the 55 entities that received Organized Retail Theft (ORT) grants last year have reported over 6,900 arrests for property and retail theft in six months – January 2024 through June 2024.
The ORT grants form part of Newsom’s Real Public Safety Plan and were distributed last October. The city of Fresno was the only local Valley entity to receive a grant; Coalinga also was a beneficiary, according to a Sept. 13, 2023 press release from Newsom’s office.
In the press release, following the announcement that the Board of State and Community Corrections (BCSS) had awarded $267,118,293 to the 55 agencies, Newsom said, “Enough with these brazen smash-and-grabs – we’re ensuring law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to take down these criminals.”
During the first two quarters following the distribution of the ORT grants, the grant recipients – 34 police departments, seven sheriffs’ departments, 13 district attorney offices and one probation department – arrested 5,499 organized retail theft suspects, 1,389 vehicle theft suspects and 34 cargo theft suspects.
Regarding the arrests, Newsom said, “We will keep working together to advance the successful tools and strategies that have continued to reduce California’s crime rates from the record highs of last century.”
According to a June 18, 2024 second quarter status update from the BCSS on the ORT prevention program, the 55 grant recipients reported over 7,000 ORT incidents between Jan. 1, 2024 and March 31, 2024. Over 3,000 ORT-related arrests were made and there were over 2,800 referrals to district attorney offices for ORT prosecution.
Newsom’s press releases did not include arrest data for Fresno but did note that Bakersfield Police – Bakersfield was a grant recipient – arrested 105 suspects through grant-funded blitz operations.
AB 1960
Assembly Bill 1960, introduced by Assemblymember Robert Rivas and which Newsom signed on Sept. 12, 2024, is another arrow in Newsom’s anti-crime quiver.
AB 1960 creates sentencing enhancements for anyone who willfully damages property during the commission of a felony – which is the modus operandi for smash and grabbers. For example, if the value of the property destroyed is more than $50,000, the court can add a year to the perpetrator’s sentence. According to the bill’s text, the higher the property damage, the longer the sentence.
“Violent ‘sledgehammer crimes’ and flash-mob attacks by organized crimes must stop,” Rivas said via news release. “Our business owners and workers should not have to live in fear that these crimes will come to their doorstep.”
Not surprisingly, retail organizations support the measure.
Rachel Michelin, President and CEO of the California Retailers Association, said, “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.”
AB 1960 remains in effect until Jan. 1, 2030, which extends the expiration on some laws that were set to expire on Jan. 1, 2026.
