San Diego Crime Rates: What Retailers Can Do Now

The White House, Washington, United States

Reported crime in the City of San Diego fell in 2025. The San Diego Police Department's annual report shows total offenses down 6.3% from 2024, property crimes down 11.6% and crimes against persons down 3.2%. Larceny, the category that includes shoplifting, barely moved, so stores still need a steady, layered loss prevention plan.

This article is for store owners, district managers and loss prevention leads in San Diego who want to read the numbers correctly and turn them into practical changes on the floor.

Key takeaways

  • The city recorded 59,793 offenses in 2025, down from 63,790 in 2024.
  • Larceny stayed almost flat at 12,102 offenses, so theft remains a steady concern for stores.
  • California's Proposition 36, approved in November 2024, increased penalties for some repeat theft and for group theft.
  • Prevention works best as a layered program that keeps employees out of harm's way.

What are the current crime rates in San Diego?

The San Diego Police Department reports crime using the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Its 2025 annual report for the City of San Diego shows:

Category20242025Change
Crimes against persons13,71013,267Down 3.2%
Crimes against property37,13632,834Down 11.6%
Larceny (includes shoplifting)12,12212,102Down 0.2%
All NIBRS offenses63,79059,793Down 6.3%

The same report gives a violent crime rate of 4.1 per 1,000 residents in 2025. That figure uses the older UCR summary definition, which counts only homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. The report doesn't break out shoplifting on its own, so larceny is the closest available measure.

How should a retailer read this? A citywide drop in property crime doesn't mean your store's risk fell. Larceny was flat, and theft clusters around specific corridors, shopping centers and times of day. These figures also cover the City of San Diego only. For neighborhood detail, the police department's statistics page links to a Neighborhood Crime Summary Dashboard, crime mapping and alerts, and countywide data from the Automated Regional Justice Information System (ARJIS). Check the data for each store's area, not the city average.

What changed in California law for retail theft?

Proposition 36, approved by California voters in November 2024, changed how some theft is charged. According to the Legislative Analyst's Office analysis, theft of property worth $950 or less is generally a misdemeanor, but Proposition 36 allows it to be charged as a felony when the person has two or more prior convictions for certain theft crimes, such as shoplifting, burglary or carjacking. It also allows felony sentences to be extended by up to three years when three or more people commit a theft or property damage crime together. The LAO notes these changes partly reverse reductions made by Proposition 47 in 2014.

For retailers, the practical point is documentation. Prior convictions only count if incidents are reported, prosecuted and recorded. A store that quietly writes off losses without reporting them gives prosecutors nothing to build on.

What can retailers do to protect their businesses?

A common mistake is buying one big fix, such as more cameras, and expecting it to solve shrink alone. The stores that do best stack several modest measures.

Store layout and design

  • Keep sightlines open from registers to entrances and high-value aisles.
  • Place high-theft items near staffed areas or in locked displays.
  • Use good lighting inside, at entrances and in parking areas.
  • Control back doors and stockroom access with alarms or badge entry.

Staff training and safety

  • Train employees to greet and engage shoppers; attentive service reduces opportunities for theft.
  • Set a clear policy that employees don't physically confront or chase suspects.
  • Teach observation and accurate incident reporting: time, description, items, direction of travel.
  • Provide de-escalation training and a fast way to call for help.

Technology

  • Video surveillance covering entrances, registers and high-loss areas, with retention long enough to support investigations.
  • Electronic article surveillance tags on frequently stolen goods.
  • Point-of-sale exception reports to spot refund fraud and internal theft.
  • Inventory tracking that shows where shrink actually occurs; see AI in retail inventory management.

Our roundup of retail technology trends covers other tools stores are adopting. Before adding cameras or connected devices, think about the data they collect; the same habits described in our guide to protecting customer data apply to footage and shopper records.

Returns and refund fraud

Some theft shows up at the returns counter rather than the exit: stolen goods returned for cash, or receipts reused. Require ID or a receipt match for cash refunds above a set value, and route returned goods through a consistent inspection step. Our guide to the five Rs of reverse logistics explains how to set that up.

Partnerships and reporting

  • Report incidents to police consistently, with video and loss values.
  • Join local business associations to share information on patterns.
  • Coordinate with neighboring stores on common issues such as parking lot safety.

Internal loss

Not all shrink comes from outside. Clear cash handling procedures, separation of duties for refunds and voids, and regular review of exception reports reduce internal theft and honest errors alike. Treat findings as process problems first, and involve HR before acting on any suspicion about an employee.

Prevention checklist for store managers

  • Review neighborhood crime data each quarter.
  • Walk the store weekly to check sightlines, lighting and locked displays.
  • Confirm cameras record and footage can be exported quickly.
  • Refresh staff safety training at least annually and for every new hire.
  • Track shrink by category and location monthly.
  • Review insurance coverage for theft, property damage and data incidents; our guide to cyber insurance for small businesses covers the digital side.

Frequently asked questions

Is crime in San Diego going up or down?

According to the San Diego Police Department's 2025 annual report, reported crime in the City of San Diego went down. Total NIBRS offenses fell 6.3% from 2024 to 2025, property crimes fell 11.6% and crimes against persons fell 3.2%. Larceny was nearly flat. Trends differ by neighborhood, so check the city's neighborhood dashboard too.

Should store employees stop shoplifters?

Most retailers tell employees not to physically confront or chase suspected shoplifters because of injury and liability risks. Instead, staff should observe, note descriptions, preserve video and report to managers and police. Train employees on your specific policy, and talk to legal counsel before allowing any detention, because the rules on detaining suspects are strict.

Does Proposition 36 make all shoplifting a felony?

No. Theft of property worth $950 or less generally remains a misdemeanor. Proposition 36 allows a felony charge when the person has two or more prior convictions for certain theft crimes, and allows longer sentences when three or more people act together. Charging decisions still rest with prosecutors, which is why consistent reporting matters.

What to do next

  • Pull the latest neighborhood data for each store and compare it with your own shrink and incident records.
  • Pick the two highest-loss areas and address them this quarter with layout, training or technology changes.
  • Write a one-page incident reporting standard so every report includes video, loss value and time.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

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