San Bernardino Police Target Organized Retail Crime Rings and Theft Linked to Economic Hardship

With retail theft on the rise, San Bernardino police officials reaffirmed their commitment to tackling the issue head-on during Small Business Watch on Feb. 11 at Studio D in downtown San Bernardino.

Sgt. Sharon Bonshire and Detective Araceli Mata detailed the department’s approach to retail crime, emphasizing that officers are targeting both large-scale organized theft rings and lower-level offenses, such as shoplifting for daily necessities.

“Our main mission is to show businesses we are here for them,” Bonshire said. “We want them to come here and stay here and show them we are invested in their businesses.”

Bonshire and Mata stressed that SBPD is equally focused on dismantling organized crime networks funneling stolen goods into resale markets and addressing theft motivated by economic hardship. The department is also working closely with businesses of all sizes to enforce laws and deter crimes through increased patrols and collaborative prevention strategies.

“This is a quality-of-life issue,” Bonshire said. “Though these may seem like minor crimes, they are not minor to us or to the businesses dealing with them.”

As part of its broader crime-fighting strategy, SBPD is ramping up social media efforts to highlight retail crime enforcement and push the message that theft will not be tolerated. Officials also noted that cases are moving efficiently through the courts, reinforcing the city’s commitment to prosecuting offenders.

San Bernardino Police Department Dispatcher Robert Alvarado provided insight into the volume of emergency calls the department receives, revealing that dispatchers field approximately 500,000 calls annually—each handling between 60 and 100 calls per shift. To keep up with demand, SBPD is actively recruiting new dispatchers.

Councilmember Treasure Ortiz also spoke at the event, shifting the conversation toward infrastructure improvements and the city’s façade program. While acknowledging that crime reduction efforts don’t always yield immediate visible change, she emphasized the city’s push to create a cleaner, more inviting aesthetic that reflects its progress.

“We’re increasing efforts to create a brighter city with a more appealing aesthetic to reflect the progress we’ve made,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz also addressed city leadership, pointing to efforts to move away from a historically high-turnover for the city manager position, which she said has hindered long-term stability.

San Bernardino Police Department is hosting a Retail Theft Task Force Business Meeting on Thursday, February 20th, 2025, 10 AM to 12 PM at 710 N D Street, San Bernardino.