EL CAJON, Calif. (CNS) - Reported thefts under $400 rose nearly 60% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, and all theft-related crimes increased by more than 30%, the El Cajon Police Department reported Monday.
The ECPD attributes some of the increase in reported thefts to a city-wide effort to encourage retailers to report all thefts to the police department.
"We knew that the narrative being pushed by numerous state politicians that retail theft had not increased, and reforms to Proposition 47 were not needed, was wrong," ECPD Chief Mike Moulton said. "We knew retail theft was being vastly underreported and this data proves it."
From January 2023 to June 2023, there were 174 thefts reported to the ECPD. One year later, theft reports increased to 324 cases from January 2024 to June 2024.
The ECPD attributes the year-to-year increase in part to its focus on retail theft investigations and enforcement.
In February, Moulton began meeting with representatives of many of the city's large retailers and encouraged them to report all theft-related crimes to the department.
The goal was to capture retail theft, which was being significantly underreported, more accurately. Since then, retailers, store employees, and management have called to report thefts that previously would have gone unreported, the chief said.
During those February meetings, the ECPD committed to dedicating resources to combat retail theft throughout the city.
ECPD began working with businesses to set up special details targeting retail theft. During one of those details in May of this year, police made seven arrests and recovered nearly $1,500 in property from one retail store in one day.
"Recognizing that out-of-control retail theft encourages lawlessness, and although current state law is insufficient, the El Cajon Police Department will continue to use every resource available to hold criminals accountable in combating it," Moulton said.
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