FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — A specialized team, created to target organized retail theft, is driving down property crime and helping businesses recover stolen merchandise in the city of Fresno.
The Fresno Police Department’s Organized Retail Theft TACT team was formed after Proposition 36, also known as “The Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act,” passed in 2024.
The measure changed how some retail theft cases can be charged, allowing repeated thefts that once resulted only in misdemeanor charges to be combined and filed as a felony.
A specialized team, created to target organized retail theft, is driving down property crime and helping businesses recover stolen merchandise in the city of Fresno.
The department received a grant to dedicate resources to combating organized retail theft, following the passing of the measure. and police say the city is seeing results.
“On Wednesday (Feb. 25), the first two arrests that were made that day were both prolific or repeat offenders,” Lieutenant Larry Bowlan, from The Fresno Police Department, said.
Lieutenant Bowlan said the team works by identifying suspects and building cases through surveillance and coordination with retailers.
Police reported that between 2023 and 2024, Fresno saw a 9.5% increase in larceny, described as taking something without returning it to its owner.
Police reported that between 2023 and 2024, Fresno saw a 9.5% increase in larceny, described as taking something without returning it to its owner (COURTESY OF FRESNO POLICE DEPARTMENT).
Since the TACT team was created last April, Lieutenant Bowlan said the department had a reduction in larceny by 21%. He also said overall property crime was reduced by 24% in 2025.
“Our Sergeant and those 13 detectives, with their investigations combined, recovered over $1.2 million in merchandise just in 2025,” Lieutenant Bowlan said.
Lieutenant Bowlan said the losses from retail theft ultimately affect the broader community.
The department received a grant to dedicate resources to combating organized retail theft, following the passing of the measure. and police say the city is seeing results (PICTURE: PHOTOJOURNALIST JOHN DWELLE).{ }
“Without us working hand-in-hand with (retailers), we’re unable to prevent these tens of thousands of dollars of cost, which has to go back to somebody,” Lieutenant Bowlan said.
With Proposition 36 now in effect, police say the ability to combine multiple theft cases into a felony charge could deter repeat offenders.
“They think that, ‘Hey if I just steal from the same place for only, you know $350 each time it’s just a misdemeanor if I get caught’ and what we’re advising them after the arrest is, ‘No we’re adding those three cases together now turning this into a felony{<}” Lieutenant Bowlan said.
Lieutenant Bowlan said the team wrote more than 200 search warrants connected to retail theft in 2025.
This year, the team has conducted five “blitz operations,” which were described as operations where officers were able to surround theft suspects in a parking lot.
He also said agencies across California share information about suspects who cross into or commit crimes in multiple cities.
If you have information to share regarding a retail thief, click HERE for the Fresno Police Department contact information.