Retail theft in New York City has dropped 13.6% year-over-year, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday, as the State Police Organized Retail Theft Task Force recovered more than $2.6 million in stolen goods since expanding operations in April 2024.
Speaking in Downtown Brooklyn on Nov. 19 ahead of the holiday shopping season, Hochul said small businesses continue to feel the effects of years of heightened shoplifting and organized theft. “When I first became governor, there was a spike in retail theft,” Hochul said. “I walked the streets in Brooklyn and Queens and saw firsthand how it was paralyzing for small businesses.”
Last year, Hochul introduced a $40 million package of sweeping measures to combat rising retail theft statewide. The initiative created retail-focused anti-theft teams for police, increased penalties for anyone who assaults retail workers, and established a $5 million tax credit to help small businesses invest in security upgrades such as cameras and theft-prevention devices.
The legislation followed years of escalating theft. Crime data show larceny offenses in NYC rose 51% between 2017 and 2023, while robberies, grand larceny, and petit larceny collectively increased 86% during the same period.
The State Police task force, made up of 100 dedicated personnel working alongside local law enforcement and district attorneys, has conducted more than 1,000 operations in the city and surrounding areas, Hochul said. Those efforts have resulted in 1,224 arrests and 2,146 criminal charges over the last year.
State Police Superintendent Steven James said Wednesday that the decline in theft is encouraging but added that the impact of these crimes extends beyond financial losses. “Retail theft inflicts distress on business owners, workers and patrons,” he said.
Hochul urged New Yorkers to support small businesses during the holidays, saying the decrease in theft helps store owners stay afloat amid broader economic uncertainties. “We want people to feel comfortable walking into stores and supporting the real people behind them,” she said.
