A craze for Labubu dolls has turned criminal in Los Angeles! A group of masked thieves broke into a store in La Puente, east of Los Angeles, and made off with approximately R130,000 (USD $7,000) worth of the highly sought-after Labubu plush toys. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning, leaving the store owner in shock.
The Heist Details
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department responded to a burglary call at One Stop Sales on Glendora Avenue at around 1:30 AM. Security footage shows the masked individuals entering the store after breaking glass. They then proceeded to grab boxes of merchandise, specifically targeting the popular Labubu dolls.
According to the Sheriff's Department, the thieves used a stolen Toyota Tacoma during the robbery. The vehicle was recovered shortly after the incident. The store, understandably upset, posted on Instagram: "Today we got robbed, and they took all of our inventory trashed our store, we are still in shock, if you guys can share this post please and help us find these thief’s!"
What are Labubu Dolls?
Labubu dolls, with their distinctive toothy, gremlin-like appearance, have exploded in popularity recently. These plush collectibles are exclusively made and sold by Pop Mart, a Chinese retailer specializing in "blind box" toys. The blind box element, where customers don't know which specific doll they're getting until they open the box, adds to the collectibility and demand.
Why the Craze?
The popularity of Labubu dolls has created a thriving resale market, with some of the rarer dolls fetching exorbitant prices. One Stop Sales' website lists some Labubus for as much as R9,300 (USD $500). A collection released earlier this year retailed for around R520 (USD $27.99), highlighting the significant markup in the resale market. The exact number of dolls stolen remains unclear, but the incident underscores the intense demand for these collectibles.
- Labubu dolls are hot property!
- Store security video shows masked thieves in action.
- Stolen vehicle recovered by authorities.