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Commercial Burglaries Fell in 2023, but Shoplifting Continued to Rise

Retail theft is at the center of criminal justice policy debates across the state. Recently released crime statistics for 2023 show continued growth in shoplifting statewide; reported incidents are 28% higher than in 2019. Commercial burglaries dropped by 9% in 2023 but remain about 6% above their pre-pandemic level. Our analysis shows that while most large counties saw increases in retail theft (both shoplifting and commercial burglary) from 2019 to 2023, more than 90% of the statewide rise occurred in