A California woman has been arrested after being caught with over $450,000 worth of stolen merchandise from drug stores.
Claudia Cruz, 35, from Oakland, was taken into custody and booked into Alameda County Jail on charges of organized retail crime, possession of stolen property, and conspiracy to commit a crime, according to a statement from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) on Friday.
The investigation began in July, led by the CHP Golden Gate Division Organized Retail Crime Taskforce. They conducted several surveillance operations and, on August 15, executed search warrants at an Oakland residence and two vehicles. During the search, they seized a large amount of stolen merchandise and discovered that Cruz was leasing a storage unit.
With another search warrant, investigators found even more stolen goods in the storage unit, bringing the total value to $450,000. Most of the items were stolen from drug stores.
This arrest comes just a week after Governor Gavin Newsom’s office announced “record progress” by the CHP in combating retail theft.
A press release from August 15 reported that the task force has made 884 arrests since January and seized nearly $7.2 million worth of stolen goods.
Governor Newsom is also pushing for new laws to crack down on property crime. His proposals include new penalties, increased enforcement tools, and removing the expiration date for the organized retail crime statute. This is part of his broader efforts to address public safety and homelessness in California, with recent actions including clearing a homeless encampment at Dockweiler State Beach.