New York
CNN
—
Lego’s fanbase, which famously cuts throughout youngsters, youngsters and grownup collectors, is seeing some unsavory characters break into the combination, and for all of the improper causes.
Lego merchandise, particularly the pricier units that vary from over $100 to $1,000 or extra, are being focused for theft each by particular person shoplifters and bigger organized retail crime rings who make a beeline for units sitting on retailer cabinets as a result of they will fetch a great revenue at resale each in authorized and unlawful channels.
Miguel Zuniga, who operates a Bricks & Minifigs Lego resale franchise retailer in Lumita, Los Angeles County, continues to be coping with a break-in on June 18.
The Lego heist occurred round 5 am that Tuesday morning.
“I used to be asleep, and the ADT safety system gave me a name. Then my spouse bought a name. I went straight to the cameras and noticed we have been being robbed,” Zuniga instructed CNN.
He bought to his retailer inside 10 minutes, however the burglars have been gone – with about $5,000 to $7,000 of Legos, he estimates.
Retail crime consultants instructed CNN that stolen Lego units are straightforward to resell, they’re sometimes exhausting to hint they usually can fetch near the unique retail worth if in mint situation and unused. Even used units in respectable form can go for 50% of the unique worth.
In latest months, robbers have stolen Legos in a number of states.
Earlier this month, police in California arrested two individuals in reference to a retail theft ring that allegedly stole hundreds of Lego toys from a number of Southern California retailers, in line with CNN affiliate KABC.
LAPD detectives recovered greater than 2,800 bins of Lego toys with retail worth of $20 to over $1,000 per merchandise, the report quoted a police assertion as saying.
In Philadelphia, police logged a collection of Lego set thefts in latest months at retailers comparable to Barnes & Noble and Goal, with stolen units valued from $250 to as much as $1,000 every. Goal instructed CNN it didn’t have any info to share on Lego thefts at its shops. Barnes & Noble didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
And north of the border, in Richmond, British Columbia, police in March seized a haul of greater than 1,000 stolen toys. Among the many stolen items have been greater than $150,000 price of Lego units and different plush toys.
Though exhausting information is troublesome to return by, consultants stated Lego units are routinely among the many prime 10 most stolen retail merchandise, together with branded denim, purses, designer footwear, Olay skincare and Apple merchandise.
“Lego is exclusive. The model is all the time refreshing their choices, all the time on pattern with tie-ins to popular culture and particular version units,” stated Learn Hayes, a criminologist on the College of Florida and the director of the Loss Prevention Analysis Council, whose members embrace Walmart, Goal, Residence Depot and Hole.
Hayes instructed CNN his group works with a majority of shops that carry Lego merchandise in addition to Legoland theme parks. “Demand is all the time there.”
Consequently, there’s not solely a marketplace for stolen Lego merchandise but in addition a burgeoning counterfeit market, particularly on-line.
Casey Slaughter, a captain with the Wichita, Kansas, police division who heads its property crimes bureau, could be very accustomed to Lego offenses.
“We see Lego toys as one of many extra continuously stolen objects in our space,” Slaughter instructed CNN. “Any retailer promoting the model is vulnerable to Lego theft, however we even have a few Lego-specific secondhand shops which have popped up as resellers. They’re being focused.”
It’s straightforward cash for Lego thieves, he stated. “They’re troublesome to trace the place they have been stolen from,” he stated.
Between January 8, 2024 and Could 7, 2024, Wichita Police investigated 19 Lego thefts, in line with information the police division offered to CNN. Thefts included units primarily based on Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Again to the Future movies, the info indicated.
When reached for remark, Lego directed CNN to on-line assets on its web site to teach shoppers the way to spot pretend on-line Lego shops and faux Lego merchandise.
In California, a number of Bricks & Minifigs shops have been robbed since April.
“That is most likely our fourth or fifth hit that offers primarily with Legos. They occur shortly, 30 seconds to a minute,” Captain Calvin Mah with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division’s main crimes bureau stated in an interview with CNN, referring to the theft at Zuniga’s retailer.
“In watching the surveillance video, I may see them concentrating on particular Lego units. They knew precisely what they have been on the lookout for. They needed the high-end and high-value units, the uncommon or collectible ones,” he stated.
Zuniga bought emotional when talking concerning the theft to CNN.
After cleansing his retailer the day of the housebreaking, Zuniga went house to bathe.
“After I got here again I despatched a bat sign to the neighborhood to return and help us in our time of want,” he stated. Prospects got here, some even donating their Lego units. He purchased Lego units that have been on sale on the native Goal to refill empty cabinets.
“At 9 am, the primary buyer that got here was a 71-year-old who has constructed a few of the costliest Lego units,” Zuniga recounted, his personal voice cracking as he sobbed. “He’s our native legend. He confirmed up in tears.”