Thousands of dollars worth of Labubus stolen from California store
About S$5,100 worth of stolen goods have been returned to the owners, although it is not immediately clear how they were recovered.
Thieves broke into a California store and stole thousands of dollars worth of Labubus on Aug 6 – the trendy Chinese plushies and this generation's version of Cabbage Patch dolls – according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office.
Footage released on Instagram by the store, Onestopsaless, shows a group of thieves quickly swiping boxes and dolls off shelves. They then enter the back of the store and grab armfuls of merchandise.
Labubus are fuzzy Nordic elves – all female – who sometimes come with outfits. They are made exclusively by Pop Mart, a Chinese company.
The toys are so popular that people line up for hours at stores for the chance to buy one.
Shoppers often do not know which Labubu they are getting because some of them come in a blind box, meaning their identity is unknown until the box is opened.
There are more than 300 versions of the toys, with each doll costing roughly US$30 (S$38.50) , though some limited-edition versions fetch more. The website for Onestopsaless shows Labubus sell for as much as $500.
The dolls have spawned communities – in real life and online – where fans share tips about how to dress the figures. The demand has also driven a market for fakes , called
Lafufus .
Celebrities, including Rihanna and Cher, have sported them on their handbags. The dolls, which also come in keychains, have been featured hanging off designer bags, such as a Hermes Birkin.
Ms Joanna Avendano and Mr Leonardo Rodriguez opened Onestopsaless, which sells trending collectibles and accessories, such as Powerpuff Girls and Hello Kitty merchandise, a few months ago, Ms Avendano said.
The store also stocks products from Miniso, a Chinese retailer that sells licensed collections from brands such as Disney and Pokemon, toys, plushies and other products.
The thieves drove a stolen Toyota Tacoma to the store on Glendora Avenue in La Puente, California, around 1.30am local time , according to a news release from the sheriff's office.
When police first responded, Ms Avendano said she was unable to go into the store and initially estimated the loss to be about US $7,000.
Later, after she managed to take an inventory, she revised that estimate to US $25,000. A detective for the sheriff's office confirmed she provided a list.
Investigators on Aug 7 returned about US $4,000 worth of the stolen goods, which included some Labubus and other merchandise, Ms Avendano said.
It was not immediately clear how the stolen goods were recovered. NYTIMES
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