Between January 3 and January 16, 2026, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department led a retail theft operation in Rancho Cucamonga. The initiative, known as Operation Smash & Grab, involved multiple agencies including the department’s Gangs/Narcotics Division, Rancho Cucamonga Station, San Bernardino County Probation Department, Homeland Security Investigations, California Highway Patrol, and the San Bernardino Police Department.
During this period, law enforcement made one felony arrest and three misdemeanor arrests. Authorities also recovered $493 in property. According to the department, concerns about increasing thefts at retail stores began in November 2023. These incidents often involved organized groups engaging in robberies, burglaries, shelf sweeps, and vandalism.
Operation Smash & Grab targets shopping districts not only in Rancho Cucamonga but also Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville, and Chino Hills. The goal is to disrupt organized retail theft crews through both conventional and non-conventional investigative methods.
Funding for these efforts was authorized by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to support county-wide crime suppression activities. This funding aims to enhance law enforcement services addressing quality-of-life issues throughout the community.
The press release noted changes following Proposition 36—the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act—passed by California voters on November 5, 2024. Effective December 18 of that year, Proposition 36 reformed laws from Proposition 47 related to homelessness and theft. The new legislation introduced additional Penal and Health and Safety Codes that allow deputies to apply enhanced charges during arrests when appropriate. One of the arrests during this operation was made under these new provisions.
Shannon D. Dicus serves as sheriff-coroner for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department according to official information. The department functions as the primary law enforcement agency for San Bernardino County—the largest county by area in the contiguous United States—and provides services through divisions such as aviation, patrol, training and dispatch as described on its website. It operates with more than 2.1 million residents served via 15 patrol stations and relies on values like integrity and leadership.
For further information regarding Operation Smash & Grab or other initiatives addressing retail crime suppression in San Bernardino County communities—including details about service areas or departmental structure—residents may contact the Public Affairs Division or visit the department’s official website.
“These violent criminals terrorize the citizens of San Bernardino County by utilizing intimidation tactics and a mob mentality that creates an unsafe and uncomfortable shopping environment for our residents.”
“Operation SMASH & Grab focuses its efforts on the Rancho Cucamonga, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville, and Chino Hills shopping districts to disrupt and dismantle these retail store theft crews.”
“The intent is to provide additional funding to the Sheriff’s Department allowing for increased law enforcement services related to quality-of-life issues affecting the communities in our county.”
“Proposition 36 includes several new Penal and Health and Safety Codes that deputies will be able to apply during arrests when appropriate. These new charges can carry enhanced sentencing as well as prevent offenders from being cite released prior to their court appearance.”
