In a surprising twist to criminal activities, authorities in Santa Rosa, California, have taken down a unique Lego theft ring. It all started with the arrest of 39-year-old Robert Lopez, whose house turned out to be a treasure trove of Lego pieces! After a raid, cops uncovered tens of thousands of loose Lego bits, figurines, and unopened sets, as reported by NBC Bay Area.
According to an article by Jin Yu Young in the New York Times, the scene was almost like something out of a movie. “Plastic figurines were scattered everywhere—many decapitated and lined up neatly based on their expressions,” they noted. It turns out, Lopez had reportedly been orchestrating a scheme where his accomplices would swipe Lego sets from stores like Target and Walmart, only for him to clean them up and sell them online at a ridiculous markup.
The investigation, which kicked off last month, is still in progress as the police attempt to track down more suspects and pinpoint every single retailer hit by this operation. Facing serious consequences, Lopez is up against charges of organized retail theft and conspiracy to commit a felony, which could land him three years behind bars. The allure of Lego theft has to do with the high resale values of these plastic bricks, which are particularly appealing to collectors. Some limited editions can command prices well into the hundreds or even thousands, with industry insiders noting that rare sets appreciate by about 10% each year.
Detectives valued the haul retrieved from Lopez’s residence at around $6,000, as mentioned by CBS News.
