Fresno Police Crack Down on Retail Theft with New Task Force

The unit, funded by Proposition 36, targets repeat offenders and works with surrounding agencies to prevent additional thefts.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Fresno Police have created a new task force to combat retail theft, funded by Proposition 36. The team consists of a sergeant, five detectives, and plainclothes officers who work proactively to identify suspects, sometimes even before they leave a store. The department is also collaborating with surrounding agencies to track repeat offenders and share information across jurisdictions.

Why it matters

Retail theft has been an ongoing challenge for local businesses in Fresno, with some owners considering additional security measures due to repeated incidents. The new task force aims to take a more aggressive and proactive approach to organized retail crime in the area.

The details

The retail theft task force was created after the passage of Proposition 36, which provided funding for additional detectives to investigate retail theft and target repeat offenders. The team works proactively to identify suspects, sometimes even before they leave a store. In one recent incident, a man was captured on video walking into a store, hiding a ball cap under a blanket or piece of clothing, and then walking out without paying.

  • The task force was created after the passage of Proposition 36.
  • On February 27, a shoplifting incident was captured on video at Drip On Drip in Fresno's River Park shopping area.

The players

Fresno Police Department

The law enforcement agency that created the new retail theft task force, funded by Proposition 36.

Roman Gonzales

The owner of Drip On Drip, a Fresno business that has been targeted by shoplifters multiple times.

Sgt. Larry Bowlan

A sergeant with the Fresno Police Department who oversees the new retail theft task force.

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What they’re saying

“This time around, there were some items taken. There was some clothing and hats as well, and they were basically in the store, and they were shoplifting.”

— Roman Gonzales, Owner, Drip On Drip (yourcentralvalley.com)

“With the passage of Prop 36, when it was enacted, we ended up getting grant funding to provide more detectives to basically investigate organized retail theft.”

— Sgt. Larry Bowlan, Fresno Police Department (yourcentralvalley.com)

“With that local collaboration, we share a lot of the prolific and repeat offenders' information so that they can be aware of these folks in their jurisdictions.”

— Sgt. Larry Bowlan, Fresno Police Department (yourcentralvalley.com)

What’s next

The Fresno Police Department will continue to work with surrounding agencies to track repeat offenders and prevent additional retail thefts in the area.

The takeaway

The creation of the new retail theft task force in Fresno, funded by Proposition 36, demonstrates the city's commitment to addressing the ongoing challenge of organized retail crime. By taking a more proactive and collaborative approach, the police hope to identify and apprehend repeat offenders, providing relief to local businesses that have been repeatedly targeted by shoplifters.