Multi-Agency Operation Targets Organized Retail Theft in San Bernardino County
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY , CA — Between November 15 and November 29, 2025, a multi-agency operation targeting retail theft was conducted across several San Bernardino County shopping corridors. The operation, termed “Operation SMASH & Grab,” focused on the areas of Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, Hesperia, and Apple Valley.
Participating agencies included investigators from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Gangs/Narcotics Division, the Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, Apple Valley, and Hesperia Stations, the San Bernardino County Probation Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the California Highway Patrol, and the San Bernardino Police Department.
The operation resulted in eight felony arrests and 27 misdemeanor arrests. Law enforcement personnel also conducted 116 traffic stops and 22 pedestrian checks, issuing four traffic citations. The total recovered property value amounted to $3,843.63.The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department implemented the targeted suppression efforts in response to a rise in thefts at retail establishments, including incidents involving organized crews utilizing tactics such as robberies, burglaries, shelf sweeps, and acts of vandalism.
“Operation SMASH & Grab” aims to disrupt and dismantle these retail store theft crews across various districts, including Chino Hills in addition to the areas mentioned in the two-week summary. Funding for this county-wide crime suppression effort was authorized by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to support increased law enforcement services addressing community quality-of-life issues.
The operation also leveraged changes resulting from the passage of California’s Proposition 36, titled “The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act,” which took effect on December 18, 2024. This proposition revised certain laws from Proposition 47 by introducing new Penal and Health and Safety Codes that can carry enhanced sentencing and restrict cite-release options for offenders prior to court appearances. Proposition 36 statutes were applied in three of the arrests made during the two-week operation.
