LOS ANGELES (AP) — A group of masked thieves stole $25,000 worth of Labubu dolls from a Los Angeles-area store this week, according an estimate given to authorities by the shop’s owners.
The incident took place early Wednesday morning at a store in La Puente, a city about 18 miles (29 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, the LA County Sheriff’s Department said.
The department said the suspects used a stolen Toyota Tacoma in the incident, which was recovered shortly afterward.
Initially, the owners of One Stop Sales told authorities they believed $7000 of the fanged plush toys had been pillaged from the shop. After reviewing the inventory however, that estimate jumped to $25,000, according to the New York Times.
Labubu dolls, created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, have become a popular collectible item a decade after the mini-monsters were first introduced.
Often sported as handbag charms, they’ve recently turned into a viral sensation among celebrities, influencers and eager everyday collectors.
Edward Berthelot via Getty Images
Sold in “blind” mystery boxes, buyers have no idea which of the 300 styles of creatures may be inside their packages before opening.
While Labubu boxes typically retail for around $30, some limited-edition versions can fetch as much as $500 on resale markets.
Toy vendor One Stop Sales said in an Instagram post that the thieves took all of the store’s inventory and trashed the establishment.
The store posted surveillance footage showing a group of people wearing hoodies and face coverings breaking in. The suspects are seen shuffling through items and carrying boxes out of the shop.
“We are still in shock,” the store said in its post, urging people to help find the thieves.
This story has been updated to correct the store’s name. It is One Stop Sales, not One Stop Shop.
