Retail Theft

SAN FRANCISCO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today delivered remarks on California Department of Justice’s preparations to protect California’s values, people, and natural resources ahead of a second Trump Administration. To view a recording of the press conference, please visit here. 

Attorney General Bonta's Remarks as Prepared for Delivery:

As the reality of a second Trump Administration takes hold, I know there is a great deal of fear, sadness, anxiety, and panic. 

I understand. 

I’m here today to reassure you that in California, progress will prevail. 

No matter who is in the White House, no matter who holds control of Congress, in California we will keep moving forward. 

In California, we will choose calm over chaos. 

Fact over fiction.

Belonging over blame.

Unity over division. 

“Us and we” over “I and me.” 

It’s why we’re the 5th largest economy in the world. Not in spite of our commitment to workers, consumers, and the environment, because of it. 

Because we’re the largest and most diverse state in the nation.

Because we believe in the power of inclusivity.

Because we believe in truth over lies. Hope over hate. Light over dark.

Because  we believe in looking forward.

It’s who we are in the Golden State. It’s in our DNA. Nothing and no one can change that. 

As Attorney General, I’ll continue to use the full force of the law and authority of this office to address injustice. 

To stand up for all people, especially those who have long been overlooked and undervalued.

To safeguard reproductive rights. 

And advocate for more housing — especially more affordable housing for lower and middle-income families just trying to get by.

I’ll continue to take on greedy corporate giants and fight for more affordable gas, groceries, and everything in between.  

I’ll continue to defend our world-renowned natural resources and protect them for generations to come. 

Continue to fight for clean water to drink and clean air to breathe.

Continue to crack down on illicit guns on our streets and get fentanyl out of our neighborhoods. 

Continue to fight for workers.

I’ll continue to protect, defend, and serve every single Californian. No matter your politics. 

I’m here to ensure every person — no matter how they look, how much money they make, where they’re from, who they love, how they identify, or how they pray — can pursue their version of the California Dream. 

A fair wage and good benefits.  

A safe and affordable place to live.  

Affordable and accessible health care. 

Good schools to send our kids to. 

Safe neighborhoods to raise our families. 

That’s my promise to you, no matter who is in the White House.  

We’ve been here before.

We lived through Trump 1.0. 

We know what he’s capable of. 

We know what plans he has in store. 

The silver lining is just that: we know. 

We know to take Trump at his word when he says he’ll roll back environmental protections, go after our immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, attack our civil rights, and restrict access to essential reproductive care.

Which means, we won’t be flat-footed come January.

You can be sure that as California Attorney General, if Trump attacks your rights: I’ll be there. 

If Trump comes after your freedoms: I’ll be there. 

If Trump jeopardizes your safety and well-being: I’ll be there.

California DOJ did it before and we’ll do it again.  

During the last Trump Administration, California DOJ fought to stop illegal rollbacks and proposals that would’ve harmed the well-being, health, safety, and civil rights of our people and of people across the country. 

That would have caused irrevocable damage to our environment.

No matter who is in charge of the federal government…

No matter what the incoming Administration has in store… California will remain the steadfast beacon of progress it has long been.  

A constant, unwavering, immoveable force to be reckoned with.  

We’ll continue to be a check on overreach and push back on abuse of power. 

Be the antidote to dangerous, extremist, hateful vitriol.

Be the blueprint of progress for the nation to look to.

Remember: in moments of chaos in D.C., you can always look to California for calm resolve. 

California leaders across the state are ready to stand arm-in-arm. 

Governor Newsom and every single Constitutional Officer;  

Senator Padilla and Senator-elect Schiff;  

Democratic members of Congress; 

Pro Tem McGuire, Speaker Rivas, and the California Legislature; 

Mayors, supervisors, and city councilmembers from San Francisco to San Diego are ready to fight for our California values. 

For our people. For our environment.

For progress and justice.

And as necessary, we’re ready to take on the challenges of a second Trump Administration — together.

While a great deal of change is on the horizon…

California’s path to progress remains full steam ahead.

It may not always be linear. Progress so rarely is. 

It zigs and zags. Takes frustrating detours. Inches forward and backward and forward again. 

The detours and setbacks don’t define our progress.

Our commitment to forward momentum defines our progress. Defines us. 

It’s what we do next that will define us. 

If you’re feeling despondent today, remember that you’re not alone. 

In California, we’re not looking back. We’re not moving back. 

We’re California! We’ll meet any challenges head on and rise to the occasion.

As is so often said, as California goes, so goes the nation.

In the days and months and years to come, all eyes will look west. 

In California, they’ll see: we’re still moving forward.

Thank you. 

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced a settlement with Quest Diagnostics, Inc., resolving allegations that the diagnostic laboratory company unlawfully disposed of hazardous waste, medical waste, and protected health information at its facilities statewide. As part of the settlement, Quest Diagnostics will be required to pay nearly $5 million for penalties, costs, and supplemental environmental projects and make significant changes to its operations and practices at its California facilities. Attorney General Bonta is joined by the district attorneys of Alameda, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Ventura, and Yolo Counties in today’s settlement.

“Quest Diagnostics’ illegal disposal of hazardous and medical waste and patient information put families and communities at risk and endangered our environment,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Let today’s settlement send a clear message that my office will hold corporations, including medical services providers, accountable for violations of state environmental and privacy laws. I appreciate the partnership of the district attorneys’ offices across our state that led to this critical settlement.” 

“This settlement demonstrates the commitment of my Consumer Justice Bureau to protect the residents of Alameda County against identity theft and ensure that such violations do not occur again,” said Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. “Our continued ability to collaborate with the Attorney General and other District Attorney’s offices to protect public safety for all California residents is a testament to our team and the progress under my administration.”

“Quest Diagnostics’ reckless actions not only jeopardized the health and safety of local communities, but Quest Diagnostics undermined the public’s trust that they uphold the highest standards of environmental responsibility,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. “This settlement, a result of the collaborative efforts of my office’s Environmental Crimes Division and statewide prosecutors, serves as a reminder that the rule of law will always triumph over businesses that ignore public health and safety. We will continue to vigorously pursue justice to protect the well-being of LA County residents.”

“This settlement will help ensure that patients’ personally identifiable and private health information is protected and will protect worker safety and human health by ensuring that hazardous and medical wastes are properly managed and disposed of,” said Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni. 

“We will not allow the public’s health to be jeopardized by laboratories who prioritized cutting corners over protecting the health of the very people they were supposed to be caring for,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “This was not an isolated incident by a single Quest Diagnostics testing facility; this was Quest Diagnostics laboratories and testing facilities across the state skirting California’s hazardous waste laws while ignoring the very real environmental and health impacts of these illegal actions.  I want to thank Attorney General Rob Bonta and the San Joaquin District Attorney’s Office for their leadership in this collaborative effort to hold companies accountable for violating our environmental laws and endangering the safety of Californians.”

"This settlement is the result of a successful collaboration between District Attorney’s Offices and the state Attorney General's Office to protect California's environment and its health consumers," said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. "Thanks to the joint efforts of our Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit and prosecutors across the state, the financial penalty and permanent injunction will deter Quest Diagnostics from violating hazardous waste, medical waste and protected health information laws. Sacramento County will receive a total of $259,440 from the settlement, which will reimburse the cost of prosecuting this case and increase the enforcement of consumer and environmental protection laws." 

“We take very seriously violations regarding medical waste, hazardous waste, and patient confidentiality,” said San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson. “We are thankful for the cooperation of Quest, and the diligent work of our Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit in securing this settlement. With judgments like these, we can ensure proper disposal of medical and hazardous waste which protects the public and the environment, while safeguarding the privacy of San Bernardino County residents.” 

"Through our meticulous waste audits, it came to light that Quest Diagnostics may have encountered challenges in properly managing confidential patient data, medical waste, and hazardous materials. Our initial inquiry in San Joaquin County prompted us to engage with the Attorney General's office and other relevant parties,” said San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas. “Subsequent audits conducted at Quest's laboratories shed further light on potential mismanagement issues. This underscores the significance of maintaining robust waste management practices in healthcare to uphold patient confidentiality and ensure public safety." 

“The Simi Valley Landfill & Recycling Center and Ventura County residents were negatively impacted by Quest’s illegal disposal of hazardous waste, medical waste, and protected patient information,” said Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “Thanks to the hard work of the California Attorney General’s office, the District Attorney’s offices and our partner agencies, this settlement will ensure that Quest complies with the law and implements strong measures to protect the health, safety, and privacy of our residents.” 

The settlement is the result of over 30 inspections conducted by the district attorneys' offices at Quest Diagnostics laboratories and Patient Service Centers (PSCs) statewide. During those inspections, the district attorneys' offices reviewed the contents of Quest Diagnostics’ compactors and dumpsters and found hundreds of containers of chemicals, as well as bleach, reagents, batteries, and electronic waste; unredacted medical information; medical waste such as used specimen containers for blood and urine; and hazardous waste such as used batteries, solvents, and flammable liquids. The unlawful disposals are alleged to violate the Hazardous Waste Control Law, Medical Waste Management Act, Unfair Competition Law, and civil laws prohibiting the unauthorized disclosure of personal health information.

After being notified of the investigations, Quest Diagnostics implemented numerous changes to bring its facilities into compliance with California law, including hiring an independent environmental auditor to review the disposal of waste at its facilities and modifying its operating and training procedures to improve its handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste, medical waste, and personal health information at all four laboratories and over 600 PSCs in California.

The settlement resolves the allegations above and requires Quest Diagnostics to pay $3,999,500 in civil penalties, $700,000 in costs, and $300,000 for a Supplemental Environmental Project to support environmental training and enforcement in California. The settlement also imposes injunctive terms, including requirements that Quest Diagnostics maintain an environmental compliance program, including hiring a third-party waste auditor, and report annually on its progress. 

A copy of the complaint and proposed stipulated judgment, which details the aforementioned settlement terms and remains subject to court approval, can be found here and here. 

Suspects were allegedly part of an organized retail crime ring that committed 25 commercial burglaries and attempted burglaries throughout the greater Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced charges against three people allegedly involved in burglaries and attempted burglaries carried out at smoke shops and liquor stores and high-end retail stores in the greater Bay Area. From September 8, 2023, until November 14, 2023, there were approximately 25 commercial burglaries and attempted burglaries that resulted in more than $650,000 in losses to the stores. Through the investigation, the Contra Costa FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Concord Police Department and Walnut Creek Police Department determined the same group committed these burglaries, vandalism, and felony evading. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) filed multiple felony charges, including grand theft and second-degree burglary against the suspects.

"Organized retail theft harms businesses, retailers, and consumers – and puts the public at risk," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "I want to thank our local law enforcement partners for their work in apprehending the suspects in this case. The California Department of Justice and its partners will continue fighting to keep our communities, businesses, and consumers safe from retail theft and other crimes."

“Walnut Creek detectives worked diligently and thoroughly on this investigation,” said Walnut Creek Police Chief Jamie Knox. “We appreciated the partnership with the Concord Police Department, FBI Safe Streets, and the Attorney General’s Office among others to bring this complex case to a successful conclusion.”

The suspects burglarized the businesses by breaking through security doors and gates in the middle of the night while wearing dark clothing, masks, hoods, and gloves. They filled garbage bags with cigarette cartons, alcohol, and cash. In two instances the suspects stole ATM machines, one from an open Chevron gas station and the other from a closed smoke shop. Police interrupted nearly all the burglaries, however, the suspects fled in waiting vehicles and successfully evaded law enforcement. On two occasions, the fleeing suspect vehicles hit patrol vehicles, one of which resulted in injury to an officer. 

The suspects in this case are alleged to have taken part in a coordinated series of crimes that involved breaking into stores across the Bay Area and beyond, destroying property and stealing merchandise. The alleged incidents included:

• On October 3, 2023, a suspect drove a stolen Land Rover through the front window of the Louis Vuitton store located in Walnut Creek at approximately 4:20 a.m. Approximately 10-15 suspects ran into the store and stole merchandise valued at $246,025.
• On October 18, 2023, the suspects burglarized a Discount Cigarette shop in Dublin.
• On November 8, 2023, 6-8 suspects entered a Nordstrom in San Diego during business hours and stole several Chanel purses with a total value of approximately $120,000.
• On November 14, 2023, the suspects burglarized a smoke shop in Vallejo.  

The suspects were arraigned at the Contra Costa County Superior Court today and face charges of organized retail theft, second-degree burglary, grand theft, vandalism, and more. DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section (SPS) is prosecuting the case. The arrests in this case were carried out by the Contra Costa FBI Safe Streets Task Force with help from Concord Police Department, Walnut Creek Police Department, Oakland Police Department, Brentwood Police Department, Tracy Police Department, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

California and states across the country have seen a pattern of organized retail crime. According to a 2020 national survey, U.S. retailers lose approximately $700,000 per every $1 billion in sales to organized retail crime. Attorney General has made this issue a top priority and asks the public to submit complaints and tips at oag.ca.gov/retail-crime.

A copy of the criminal complaint in today's case will be made available here.