After authorities discovered more than 2,800 stolen Lego sets, two persons were taken into custody in California as members of a possible Lego theft ring.
Inside a man’s Long Beach, California home, just south of Los Angeles, police reported on Friday that they discovered Lego boxes stacked to the ceiling.
The toys were priced between $20 and more than $1,000 (£16 and more than £786).
The Los Angeles Police Department reports that Richard Siegel, 71, and Blanca Gudino, 39, were taken into custody in relation to a string of coordinated retail thefts that date back many months.
Following a store’s report of multiple thefts, authorities launched an investigation in December. Loss prevention staff at the store recognized Gudino as a potential suspect, according to the police.
Police reported seeing Ms. Gudino steal goods from the same store this week in several locations before giving Mr. Siegel the sets at his Long Beach residence.
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During a check of the house on Wednesday, detectives discovered almost 2,800 Lego boxes. Potential toy purchasers were claimed to have entered the house “lured by advertisements placed by Siegel on internet sales sites” as police conducted a search.
It was unclear if Ms. Gudino and Mr. Siegel were represented by attorneys.
Popular Star Wars sets like the Millennium Falcon, which retails for about $850 (£668) online, and R2-D2, which ranges in price from $100 to $200 (£79 to £157), were among the Lego sets. Additionally, there were sets from the Back to the Future and Lord of the Rings movies.
Gudino is accused of grand theft, while Siegel is accused of organized retail theft.
Since Lego sets have grown from being a child’s toy to a popular adult hobby, expensive Lego sets have become a frequent target for thieves.
Local media outlets in cities like Philadelphia, Las Vegas, and Florida have reported on thefts.
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The California Highway Patrol reports that in April, after investigators discovered approximately $300,000 worth of pilfered Lego products, four suspects were taken into custody.
It is alleged that the suspects stole Lego kits for vehicles, motorbikes, Star Wars merchandise, and Minecraft things with the intention of reselling them.
This year, a specialty shop called Bricks & Minifigs in southern California saw the theft of almost $100,000 worth of Legos. Bricks & Minifigs sells both new and used Legos.
