COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Columbus Police Department has received about 630 shoplifting reports so far this year, according to a news release the department issued Oct. 1. The Property Crimes Unit launched a shoplifting initiative in June to address retail theft and to build closer working ties with local stores. The department said the push comes ahead of the holiday shopping season, when stores often see more theft.

The numbers since June

Since the initiative began, investigators have been assigned 152 shoplifting cases. Detectives have cleared 63 of them and arrested 37 people. Another 58 arrest warrants are outstanding, and the department puts the current clearance rate at 41%.

If cases tied to outstanding warrants count, 91 cases have been cleared or have had warrants issued. That brings the rate to about 72%, according to the department. Police said the figures do not include arrests made by patrol officers, so the total number of people arrested for shoplifting in Columbus is higher than 37.

Working with retailers

Investigators have held several meetings with local retailers and loss prevention teams. On July 7, more than 45 asset protection and loss prevention representatives from more than 20 stores attended. A second meeting on Aug. 25 drew more than 40 participants, some in person and some online.

CPD also assigned investigators specifically to shoplifting cases. The department says the goal is to work with stores on repeat offenders. The release does not name any retailers or say which stores reported the most theft.

Operations so far

On July 28, investigators ran a warrant roundup that led to seven arrests and cleared nine cases. On Aug. 8 and 9, they ran an undercover detail at a local retail store and arrested one person caught stealing merchandise. Investigators also use the Property Crimes Unit Facebook page to post surveillance images and ask the public to help identify suspects.

The department posted a video recap of the initiative, linked in the release. Anyone who recognizes a person in a posted image can contact police through the department's channels. The release does not give a tip line for shoplifting cases.

Leadership change ahead

The department is also preparing for a change at the top. In a Sept. 15 release, CPD said Chief Stoney Mathis' last official day will be Dec. 31, 2026. Mathis joined the department as interim chief in May 2023 and later became chief, and the department scheduled a public farewell celebration for him on Oct. 14. The release did not name a successor, and no replacement had been announced in the department's news releases reviewed for this story.

Quick numbers

Source: Columbus Police Department news releases dated Oct. 1 and Sept. 15, 2026, reviewed by The Columbus Times.