Security Explorer Industry Report: California Crime Statistics

California’s Business Crime Report 2024: Insights into Burglaries, Shoplifting, and Retail Crime

California’s businesses, a cornerstone of the state’s thriving economy, face grave security challenges. In 2023, statewide retail crime reached its highest levels in two decades, with approximately 213,000 reported incidents encompassing shoplifting, commercial robberies, and commercial burglaries.

This surge places California distinctly above national averages, with overall property crime rates — including burglary and larceny-theft independently — exceeding national figures throughout 2023, only dipping below the national average for larceny-theft in December.

In the past year, a high-profile series of  “flash mob” robberies targeted stores, including Nordstrom, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Nike, and Versace, which further increased anxieties about retail crime in the region.

These alarming trends underscore the urgent need for businesses to prioritize and enhance their security measures. The wider retail crime landscape is a complex interplay of factors, including regional variations in crime, economic conditions, recent legislative measures, and law enforcement initiatives.

This report examines these developments in detail, offering business owners and security professionals a comprehensive analysis of current trends and actionable recommendations to protect California businesses.

Trends in Commercial Burglaries and Shoplifting in California

Property crime data paints a nuanced picture, with a rate of 2,294 per 100,000 California residents in 2023. This represents a marginal 0.8% decrease from 2022 and sits just 0.3% below 2019 levels. Of all reported property crimes, larceny thefts dominated at 63%, followed by auto thefts at 22%, and burglaries at 15%.

To better understand the unique nature of California’s retail crime problem, we can compare the Council of Criminal Justice’s study of 38 cities (the median population of the studied cities was 533,000) with the Crime in California 2023 report by the California Department of Justice and the Crime Trends in California report Public Policy Institute of California.

• Total larceny theft rates in the 38 metropolitan areas fell by 4% from 2022 to 2023, but decreased by only 3% in California.
• Non-residential burglaries across the sample cities decreased 7% from the previous year but remained 3% above pre-pandemic levels. While California had an 8.3% decrease in commercial burglaries, its rate of such crimes remained 6.8% above the state’s pre-pandemic levels. This suggests that while some progress has been made, businesses are still more vulnerable to burglary than they were before 2020.
• Most alarmingly, while shoplifting incidents in the cities rose by a large 22% from the previous year, California’s figures increased even further — up 39.9% from the previous year, and still 29.3% higher than in 2019. This is a significant and growing concern for retailers across the state.

Keep in mind that crime rates are generally higher in urban areas, and while this holds true in California, too, the state’s data accounts for urban, suburban, and rural areas. Despite that, commercial crime rates have seen less improvement and shoplifting rates have increased more in California than in the major urban cities studied.

Why Have Retail Crime Trends in California Persisted?

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan points to a “cycle of serious addiction and retail theft and unsheltered homelessness” that has contributed to this problem. This assessment is supported by a unique 2022 report from the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. This report found that individuals currently experiencing homelessness had 175 times higher rates of felony robbery charges compared to the non-homeless population.

In addition, Mayor Matt Mahan notes that after the pandemic, there were instances where individuals were “arrested or cited over 15, 20, 25 times in a period of 24 months.” He attributes such behavior to a “culture of lack of accountability” that emerged during the pandemic era.

Some have also linked the increase in property crimes, particularly shoplifting, to Proposition 47, passed in 2014. This proposition reclassified certain theft offenses under $950 from felonies to misdemeanors. It has been argued that this change, intended to reduce incarceration, has decreased the perceived risk for offenders.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, evidence suggests that the increase in retail theft due to pandemic responses by the criminal justice system was greater than the increase due to Prop 47.

The Rise of Organized Retail Crime (ORC)

While opportunistic theft poses a significant challenge, the rise of organized retail crime (ORC) presents a deeper threat to California businesses.

As defined by the California Department of Justice, ORC involves organized criminal rings that steal property with the intent to resell it, distribute it, or return it for value. These are not isolated incidents of theft. They are coordinated and sophisticated operations often planned weeks or months in advance.

ORC takes many forms, from targeted thefts of specific high-value items to brazen “smash-and-grab” attacks on retail stores. These incidents can result in significant financial losses for businesses, damage to property, and even threats to the safety of employees and customers. The stolen merchandise is often resold online, making it difficult to trace and recover.

The California Highway Patrol’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF), established in 2019, has been instrumental in combating this growing problem. Here are some key results of their efforts:

• In the first five months of 2024, the ORCTF made 636 arrests and recovered 216,754 stolen items valued at nearly $5.7 million. This represents a 167% increase in arrests, a 525% increase in recovered stolen goods, and a 140% increase in the value of those goods compared to the same period in 2023.
• The task force’s effectiveness continued through 2024. In July, the ORCTF conducted 128 investigations, leading to the arrests of 167 suspects, more than double the previous month. In August 2024, the ORCTF made 171 arrests and recovered $547,000 worth of stolen property. By September 12th, they had recovered a total of stolen goods valued at over $7.2 million.
• Since the inception of the task force, it has led to the arrest of over 3,000 suspects and the recovery of stolen goods valued at over $45 million.

The geographic distribution of ORC activity is particularly concentrated in California’s urban centers. According to the 2023 National Retail Federation Security Survey, Los Angeles and San Francisco/Oakland are the top two metro areas nationwide affected by organized retail crime, with Sacramento also among the most impacted cities.

The Department of Justice has continued to intensify its response to ORC through better collaboration with law enforcement partners, brick-and-mortar retailers, and online marketplaces. Attorney General Bonta and the DOJ have specifically urged big box retailers to implement early reporting protocols and increase investment in security and surveillance technology, recognizing the critical role of prevention and early detection.

Regional Analysis: Security Challenges Across California

While California faces a statewide surge in business crime, the challenges are not distributed evenly. Understanding these regional variations is crucial for businesses to assess their risk and implement targeted security measures.

Between 2019 and 2023, retail theft — encompassing both shoplifting and commercial burglaries — increased in 11 of the state’s 15 most populous counties while generally decreasing in smaller counties. Four counties accounted for 91% of the statewide increase: Sacramento (70% increase), Alameda (65%), San Mateo (41%), and Los Angeles (40%).

The broader property crime landscape shows similar geographic variations. Among the 15 largest counties, six recorded increases from 2022: Alameda (28.0%), San Joaquin (10.2%), Contra Costa (7.7%), San Bernardino (6.6%), Los Angeles (4.7%), and Orange County (1.0%).

Fortunately, overall property crime did decrease in 46 counties in 2023, including 9 of the 15 largest counties.

Regional variation in commercial burglaries, shoplifting, and other retail theft is often due to a complex mix of factors. These include local economic conditions, law enforcement resource shortages, and population density.

For example, the Sacramento Police Department (where retail theft has increased by 70%) reported staff shortages in 2024. Such shortages tend to impact retail theft more than other, more violent crimes. Sgt. Amar Gandhi, spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, noted, “When you’ve got a crime against personal safety, those are going to take precedence over a property crime.”

Greater poverty and population density can also lead to higher commercial theft crimes. As noted earlier, there is a link between homelessness and crime, which makes regions like Los Angeles County more vulnerable. Los Angeles is also among the major hubs in the supply chain, making it a frequent target for Organized Theft Groups (OTGs).

Legislative Responses and Law Enforcement Initiatives

The California Highway Patrol established the Organized Retail Crime Task Forces in 2019. However, these were initially three regional task forces, covering areas with the most urgent need for action. This included the greater Bay Area (Golden Gate Division), Los Angeles region (Southern Division), and Orange/San Diego counties (Border Division).

Following a series of smash-and-grab incidents, the California Retailers Association worked with Governor Newsom to expand the program to five divisions for statewide coverage. The ORTC undertakes collaborative efforts with retailers and our law enforcement partners, and, as detailed earlier, has proved to be an invaluable resource in the fight against retail crime.

With commercial robberies and theft still posing a threat, California invested $267 million in local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in late 2023, leading to over 10,000 arrests for retail theft, motor vehicle theft, and cargo theft offenses.

The state further strengthened its response with 10 new California Organized Retail Crime (ORC) bills signed into law on August 16, 2024, effective January 1, 2025. These are designed to enhance property theft detection, prosecution, and deterrence capabilities. Key provisions include:

• Prosecutors can aggregate the value of stolen goods across multiple thefts to reach the felony threshold, eliminating a loophole that criminals previously exploited.
• A new felony that targets the boosters who resell stolen products.
• Video evidence and sworn witness statements are admissible for probable cause.
• Local law enforcement cannot bring a nuisance action against a business solely for reporting retail crime (unless the report is knowingly false.)
• Stricter penalties for convicted offenders.

Most recently, Proposition 36, overwhelmingly voted for in November 2024, targets repeat offenders by enabling felony charges after two misdemeanor theft convictions. It maintains options for treatment instead of jail for those struggling with drugs or mental health issues.

While the full impact of these legislative and enforcement efforts remains to be seen, they demonstrate the state’s commitment to creating a safer environment for businesses and consumers.

Recommendations for Enhancing Business Security

While the legislative and law enforcement initiatives discussed in the previous section provide a framework for combating retail crime, individual businesses should take proactive steps to protect themselves. Here are some actionable recommendations:

1. Implement Advanced Security Technologies

Invest in a layered security system that integrates technology to deter theft, control access, and provide real-time monitoring.

• Surveillance Systems: High-quality cameras with clear imaging, wide coverage, and remote monitoring capabilities. Consider facial recognition to help effectively identify offenders.
• Access Control: Restrict access to sensitive areas using keycard systems, biometric scanners, or security personnel. Utilize time-delay safes or lockboxes for high-value items and cash.
• Alarm Systems: Install comprehensive alarm systems with sensors for doors, windows, and motion, monitored by a reputable security company. Consider advanced sensors for glass breaks, vibrations, or heat signature changes.
• Inventory Tracking: Implement inventory tracking systems to monitor stock levels and quickly identify potential losses. Consider RFID tagging for high-value items.

2. Employee Training and Awareness

Empower your employees to be the first line of defense against theft, ensure their own safety, and stay prepared to respond to emergencies.

• Theft Prevention: Train employees on how to identify and deter shoplifters, recognize suspicious behavior, and report any concerns promptly.
• Emergency Response: Develop clear emergency response protocols for robberies and conduct regular drills to ensure preparedness.

3. Collaboration and Community Engagement

Crime doesn’t exist in isolation — so security shouldn’t either. To create a safer business environment, build strong partnerships with law enforcement and the community.

Partnerships such as the Coalition of LE and Retailers (CLEAR) play an important role in training and education programs, information sharing, and collaboration.

Key recommendations

• Share information with law enforcement about crime trends and suspicious activity.
• Participate in community policing programs.
• Register your security cameras with the police department.
• Get to know your neighboring businesses and look out for one another.

Proactive Measures for a Secure Business Environment in California

This comprehensive analysis of California’s business security landscape in 2024 reveals significant challenges and hope in evolving responses.

Property crime remains a persistent concern, with retail theft reaching historic highs of 213,000 reported incidents. However, coordinated efforts show promising results, as evidenced by the ORCTF’s recovery of over $45 million worth of stolen goods since 2019.

The state’s multifaceted response, which combines expanded task forces and substantial funding ($267 million), demonstrates a sincere commitment to safeguarding businesses. The recent legislative changes, including new video evidence and witness rules, provide additional tools for businesses, law enforcement, and prosecutors to combat organized retail crime.

As criminal tactics evolve, businesses must continuously assess and adapt their security measures. Regular security audits, updated threat assessments, and implementation of emerging technologies will help stay ahead of new threats. The DOJ has directly encouraged retailers to invest in such security and surveillance technology.

We strongly encourage businesses to partner with security professionals to develop and maintain customized security plans that address their specific risks, location challenges, and operational needs. Use Security Explorer’s free database of the top California security companies to find a reputable security firm in your area.

With the combined efforts of legislative bodies, law enforcement agencies, business owners, retailers, employees, and security professionals today, California will be ready for a safer tomorrow.