It seems we have an epidemic on our hands. A week after thieves stole thousands of dollars’ worth of Labubus from a shop in La Puente, California, officials announced a separate Labubust just 30 minutes away.
At a home in Upland, detectives from the Chino Police Department recovered 14 boxes — altogether worth $30,000 — of the furry Pop Mart toys stolen from local warehouses. (The bust does not seem to be related to the La Puente robbery.) Police noted that one suspect attempted to flee the scene but ultimately surrendered, and there was evidence that thieves planned to resell and ship the merchandise across the country.
This type of collectibles-driven organized crime is not new: In the ’90s, mania over Beanie Babies powered a wave of audacious heists and scams. Labubus seem to be stirring up a similar frenzy. They sell in limited-edition blind boxes for about $30 a pop, and demand for them has soared in the past few months, driving up retail prices. (In June, at the world’s first Labubu auction, a four-foot Labubu sold for a whopping $170,000.) The more popular Labubus get, the more Labubu bandits we’ll likely hear about.
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So far, it seems as though the robbers are going only for the authentic toys — so Lafufu owners, you’re safe for now.
