More than $2.6 million in stolen goods in New York has been recovered by the State Police Organized Retail Theft Task Force since it launched a year and a half ago with the goal to crack down on retail theft, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced Wednesday.

Since April 2024, authorities have made 1,224 arrests and 2,146 criminal charges related to retail theft, contributing to a 13.6% decrease in retail theft year-over-year in New York City and a 13% decrease in larceny in areas outside of New York City between January and June of this year, Hochul said.

The task force was established following a spike in retail theft following the COVID-19 pandemic. The state committed more than $40 million for dedicated retail theft teams and deployed an additional 100 State Police personnel to combat r

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