Shoplifters Love Lego
Shoplifters target high-value Lego sets for resale due to their popularity and ease of selling. Thefts occur nationwide, leading to a rise in counterfeit Lego products online. Law enforcement and communities support affected stores.
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Shoplifters are targeting Lego products, particularly expensive sets ranging from $100 to over $1,000, due to their high resale value. Both individual thieves and organized crime rings are stealing Legos from stores, with recent incidents reported in various states. Stolen Lego sets are easy to resell, hard to trace, and can fetch close to the original retail price, even when used. Retail crime experts note that Legos are consistently among the top 10 most stolen retail products, alongside items like branded denim and Apple products. The demand for stolen Lego products has led to a growing counterfeit market, especially online. Law enforcement officials have observed a trend of targeted thefts focusing on high-end and collectible Lego sets. Despite efforts to combat theft, including educating consumers on spotting fake Lego products, incidents continue to occur, prompting community support for affected stores like Miguel Zuniga's Bricks & Minifigs in California.
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12 commentsI think the adjacent discussion is much more interesting: What does it say about our society that a touring bicycle with 10 years of warranty has the same price as 400g of plastic with a Star Wars license?
Shoplifters love stealing Tide bottles, and a stolen one's worth maybe ten bucks. A Lego set can cost $500-$1000 and is worth nearly retail price on eBay? And it's in a low security toy store? And it's untraceable? It's an obvious choice for a burglar. The worst part is finding a buyer, and if you're desperate for cash you can just mark it down 25% and it'll be gone in an hour.
The company itself insists though that it should only be used as an adjective :D: https://x.com/LEGO_Group/status/1359856214591627269?lang=en
This isn't a new development. And it was going on long before the vice article... in the early 2000's it was an eBay "issue".
Recently I have found a bunch of "lego" sets on some Chinese websites (they are pretty good, and the unique kits are interesting). And it points to an interesting pattern. IN the west we are keen on steeling high end goods, honey, wine, TV's, fancy bags, Legos. IN china they just make a knockoff... food, wine, phones, bags, and legos.
Im now kind of curious if this is a manufacturing base outcome or a cultural thing (or a bit of both).
Growing up, a friend's sister struggled with kleptomania. Not because it was cool or for a rush, but she had to steal shit similar to the compulsions associated with OCD.
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