Gerardo Hernandez, an assistant store manager at the Home Depot near I-45 in League City, said the store was regularly targeted for theft, forcing staff to put a bar around the bins where the lawnmowers were kept.
The cumbersome bar made it difficult for customers to shop freely. However, recently, staff were able to remove it after thefts dropped courtesy of a dedicated unit the League City Police Department launched in 2025 to tackle crime along that retail corridor.
The department launched the business district unit in July to respond to the high volume of property crime reported from businesses along the highway.
“They’re doing a phenomenal job,” Hernandez said. “Just their physical presence in the parking lot has been a deterrent.”
The unit, made up of a sergeant, detective and three officers, regularly patrols the area to respond quickly to calls, deter shoplifters, and build relationships with local stores.
Arthur Tatum, another Home Depot assistant manager, said the unit regularly does “pulse checks” with asset protection staff.
“They’re not sitting around not doing anything,” Tatum said.
The local impact
The unit created texting groups to communicate with the businesses without having to go through dispatch, League City Sgt. Jason Kifer said.
"They start feeding us intel directly, and our guys are able to get out there before they’ve even lifted the phone to call 911,” Kifer said.
The unit has also expanded the department’s ability to pursue larger crime rings. Kifer referenced a case that opened shortly after the unit was created, in which a theft occurred at Best Buy, and the unit was able to connect the individuals involved with a statewide crime ring.
“We’re getting more proficient at doing larger, in-depth investigations,” Kifer said.
The breakdown
Kifer said improved communication with loss prevention is driving a rise in shoplifting reports while contributing to a drop in other crimes.
“I think deterrence is our biggest asset,” Kifer said. “I think the more we’re hitting and the more cases that we’re solving, the less attractive it is to come and commit crimes here in League City.”
Since the unit launched, the department took 130 reports, resulting in 72 arrests. However Kifer said he was most satisfied by the unit’s clearance rate of 82%, which indicates the percentage of crimes the unit was able to solve.
The national standard for clearance in property crime cases is around 15% to 17%, Kifer said.
“I’m proud to say that my team has been able to [solve] four out of five cases,” Kifer said.
What it means
League City business district officer Pierre Nguyen said having a unit dedicated to preventing and solving theft crimes has contributed to the department’s higher clearance rate.
Oftentimes, theft involves the suspect quickly leaving the scene before officers arrive, but having a regular presence in the business district allows the officers to identify the getaway car or driver, Nguyen said.
The unit can now also proactively build relationships with managers, loss prevention teams and statewide retail theft investigators.
Having a higher clearance rate also allows the department to recover stolen property. Between July 15, when the unit launched, to Dec. 31, the department recovered over $98,000 of stolen property, Kifer said.
“That’s property that can go back into the retail, which helps our community with the sales tax that goes with it,” Kifer said.
Looking ahead
The business unit is hoping to hire a fourth officer, Kifer said.
The new hire will expand the department’s ability to police hot spots in the business district area, which accounts for 18% of all calls for service in the city, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
