Thieves steal £150k worth of Pop Mart toys
Thieves have stolen £150,000 worth of Pop Mart toys.
A shipment of the viral toy Hirono was intercepted by thieves in the early hours of April 8 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, just weeks before they were to be released to UK shops.
The crime is the second in a month targeting expensive toys, after £20,000 worth of Jellycat stuffed animals were stolen from an independent store in Cheddar, Somerset, on March 30.
Criminal groups are becoming increasingly aware of the collectable toy market, experts warn, because of the prices these figurines fetch online.
Hirono, a small plastic figurine that resembles a small boy in a range of different costumes, was due to go on sale in May.
Pop Mart also makes Labubu, figurines that resemble monsters, which are loved by celebrities, including former Love Islander Olivia Atwood, who posted a video unboxing one.
Dua Lipa and Rihanna are also known to enjoy the toys, designed by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung.
The toys retail from £30 but have sold on eBay for as much as £1,000. The most valuable is the £164 Monsters Zimono I Found You doll, according to the Pop Mart website.
A spokesman for Pop Mart said he was 'deeply saddened' by the 'recent rise in toy theft', adding that he was 'working diligently' to ensure it didn't impact the launch next month.
A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said: 'Police are investigating following a theft from a motor vehicle in Hemel Hempstead.
'Between 1.30am and 5.27am on Tuesday April 8, a trailer curtain was cut on a HGV parked on Eaton Road, causing extensive damage. A large number of items were reported stolen.'
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kasatkina delivers 37-year first for Aussies in Paris
Daria Kasatkina has overcome the same feeling of burn-out that sank her fellow Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur at the French Open and now feels rejuvenated by reaching the fourth round at her "spiritual" tennis home at Roland Garros. On the venue's famed Simonne Mathieu 'greenhouse court', Australia's newest tennis recruit Kasatkina was left thrilled how her stagnant game suddenly bloomed in humid conditions on Saturday at her favourite slam with a 6-1 7-5 defeat of former world No.2 Paula Badosa. Kasatkina's victory on the sunken court at Serres d'Auteuil botanical garden, surrounded by its glass hothouses, conjured up the rare but sweet smell of Paris success for her adopted tennis home as, for the first time in 37 years, there'll now be an Aussie in both the men's and women's last-16 draws in the same year. In 1988, Nicole Provis, who went on to reach the semis, and Pat Cash both made the second week. Now the onus is on Kasatkina and Alexei Popyrin, who plays his fourth-round match against Tommy Paul on Sunday. On Monday, Kasatkina will face the game's young whizzkid Mirra Andreeva, her 18-year-old French-based Russian friend who was trouncing Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva 6-3 6-1 on Court Suzanne Lenglen at the same time. The vlogging pals ended up sharing an ice bath after their early showcourt progress, and Kasatkina, in her first slam under the Australian flag, sounded as if a weight had been lifted from her following a tough spell when her form and motivation slumped. Echoing the lament of de Minaur, who said he was burnt out and mentally fatigued after his shock second-round loss, Kasatkina admitted it felt like a "super important" win for her. "It means a lot especially the last couple of weeks were a bit rough for me. I couldn't find myself on court, I felt a little bit flat, like with emotions and stuff," said the 28-year-old, whose form hasn't been great since she gained permanent Australian residency two months ago. "I felt little signs of burn-out or something like that. I'm really happy I got back on track here in Roland Garros, one of my favourite tournaments." Of de Minaur's complaints about the overcrowded schedule, she added: "I agree with Alex, because our schedule is pretty rough." "We have a completely packed schedule. It's not normal, but it can happen that the person who is travelling all around the world all the time giving their best, living the life of tennis player, sometimes can feel he's tired, that sometimes you are just not super excited to go on court. "I mean, this can happen. This is our job but I think everyone can relate that sometimes you don't want to wake up to go to your job. "Yeah, we are super lucky at having this opportunity to do what we love and get paid for it and travel around the world. It's a nice life, but sometimes when you give everything to something, you feel tired and you need some rest." But the 17th seed reckoned she felt much better on court, dominating the first set against an out-of-sorts world No.10 Badosa before having to dig deep when the Spaniard, with more firepower but little of Kasatkina's all-court guile and superb defence, dragged her into a "tense" second-set scrap. This triumph, still greeted by a standing ovation from the largely pro-Badosa crowd, was comfortably Kasatkina's best since her allegiance switch as she powered out to win eight of the first nine games, then nullified Badosa's biggest weapons, frustrating her into many of her 41 'unforced' errors. Kasatkina smiled about how she gets transformed when returning to Roland Garros where she was a semi-finalist in 2022, quarter-finalist in 2018 and the girls' champion in 2014. "The courts, amazing, super-good quality, the atmosphere. I won here as a junior. When this happens, it just stays forever in you and automatically the place becomes special. World No.17 returns to the Roland-Garros Last 16 for a box office encounter with Mirra Andreeva 👀#RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2025 "It's my 10th professional Roland Garros, every time I'm coming here, I feel comfortable. I know every corner of the stadium. I don't know how it works, honestly, on a spiritual level, but somehow this place, it's been always nice to me."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Marietta stone product manufacturer cited by USDOL for safety issues, to pay $120,000 in penalties
The U.S. Department of Labor said it was citing a Marietta-based stone product manufacturer for safety violations and ordering it to pay $120,000 in penalties. According to a USDOL announcement, Art Stone-Granite & Marble Inc. in Marietta was investigated in April 2024 for safety violations and health issues. Five months later, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company for two repeat violations and 13 serious violations, with OSHA saying the company had not provided workers with protection against hazards like silica dust and occupational-related noise. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Burned body found at Stone Mountain Park Henry County changing alert system after warnings didn't go out in time for tornado touchdown 'It was startling': Buckhead couple detail finding starving dog that led to R&B singer's arrest Now, USDOL said the company had failed to administer the hearing conservation and respiratory protection programs it needed to and was levying penalties in addition to ordering corrective actions be taken. "The company will pay $120,000 in penalties, take action to correct the hazardous conditions, and put steps in place to prevent recurrence," USDOL said. In response to Channel 2 Action News, an Art Stone-Granite & Marble spokesman said in part that the health and safety of employees has always been their top priority and they are "currently working through the citation and appeal process, we remain committed to full cooperation with OSHA and to implementing any improvements necessary to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for our team." The company also said they had previously raised concerns about the testing methods from a 2023 inspection but had not gotten a clear answer in response. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Vogue
an hour ago
- Vogue
And They Call It Plushie Love: Fashionable People on Their Labubu Obsession
Unless you exist in a blissfully offline experience, you'll have noticed Labubu hype is at unprecedented high. Even IRL, you can hardly move on the streets of major cities without being nudged by a handbag bedecked with the fang-toothed critters. Personally, I love her. Yes, despite her gender-fluid appearance and undiscriminating appeal, Labubu is a girl. An elfin character first created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, Labubu was conceived as part of a story series called The Monsters in 2015. Then, in 2019, Labubu evolved into the collectible toy market with a line of figurines that became available through a partnership with Chinese retailer Pop Mart. Later, they were developed into plush toys on keychains—perfect timing, to chime with the emerging trend of bag charms, trinkets, and toys in fashion; Pop Mart's first Labubu keyring series was called the 'Exciting Macaron,' and dropped in October 2023. Inspired by Nordic folklore, the pastel shades of Labubu's fluffy body and the gently devilish facial expressions that differ with each iteration of the character are the perfect blend of cute and ugly. She's the latest in a long line of iconic characters that have emerged from Asia; Hello Kitty, Sonny Angel, and Gudetama are her foresisters. Pop Mart's Cry Baby series seems to be following fast in her footsteps. Labubu has been spotted on Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and perhaps most notably, Lisa from Blackpink, who spoke to Vanity Fair about her obsession—certainly, one of the sparks that lit the match for Labubu's now-worldwide domination. But, as with anything that becomes too beloved, too hyped, too memed, the backlash has begun. In the UK, Pop Mart was forced to pull Labubu from stores after an altercation in a queue occurred in May 2025. Overzealous resellers, it seems, resorted to violence to get their hands on the coveted critters. Fans remain furious with the pause. Labubu is, after all, the number one piece to collect on resale platform StockX. Some roll their eyes: Why are all these people—not even children—queueing for toys at a time like this? There are plenty of critiques from those harbouring hate—Labubu aren't recyclable, they're just a 'recession indicator,' a part of so-called 'regression core.' The mimetic desire they create feeds into the capitalist whirl of consumer culture! This type of collecting is a silly, frivolous pastime! As British Vogue's Daniel Rodgers writes: 'The Labubu is just another colorful flash on the internet's radar: Something we consume for a few months until the next trend arrives, kicking off a fresh cycle of thinkpieces.'
