A multi-agency task force that made six felony arrests in mid-April in a crackdown on theft at the Victoria Gardens shopping center in Rancho Cucamonga made 14 more felony busts there from April 19 to May 2, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.
Officers also made 22 misdemeanor arrests and recovered $17,705 in property.
Operation Smash & Grab, which began at the end of 2023, places undercover officers in the Rancho Cucamonga, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville, and Chino Hills shopping districts to stop retail store theft crews.
“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,” the department said.
