Police in California have seized thousands of dollars worth of stolen LEGO and arrested one suspect in an elaborate organized retail theft and fencing operation, authorities said.
The Santa Rosa Police Department reported that detectives from its Property Crimes Investigations Team began investigating 39-year-old Robert Lopez in September. Investigators allege Lopez directed retail thieves to steal high-value LEGO sets, which he then purchased at reduced prices and resold for profit — sometimes breaking the sets apart to sell individual minifigures at inflated rates.
Over several weeks, investigators reviewed digital evidence, conducted surveillance, and coordinated with organized retail theft teams from Target and Walmart. Their findings indicated Lopez was running a coordinated operation targeting collectible LEGO items…