Los Angeles residents can rest assured that criminal theft rings are no longer stalking the city’s retail stores to feed black market demand for Lego. That’s because the California Highway Patrol (CHP) announced this week the arrest of four suspects accused of stealing Lego sets that police estimate are worth “approximately $300,000.”
The four allegedly stole Lego inventory from stores including Target, Home Depot and Lowe’s and sold it to black market dealers who then “appeared to be legitimate businesses, garage sales, or online” sell stolen bricks. Police said they were booked on “allegations relating to organized retail theft, theft and criminal conspiracy”.
The CHP posted a photo of the bust on Instagram.The stolen sets included an 85,921-piece Millennium Falcon (an $800 behemoth worth more than 7,000 pieces since 2017), a 6,167-piece Millennium Falcon worth $500 Lord of the Rings Rivendell Castle, and a $170, 1,458-piece Porsche 911 set.
Like any other collectible, LEGO sets are the main target. In 2021, French police announced they were investigating an international Lego crime ring.That same year, Seattle authorities arrested a store owner accused of selling stolen Lego sets after a botched investigation dubbed Operation Mandal Organized Retail Theft. nbc news reported.