'We work so hard': Masked thieves smash into California store to steal Labubu Dolls worth $30k; target trendy collectibles ignoring cash, electronics
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The break-in happened around 1.30 am Wednesday at One Stop Sales in La Puente, where four thieves allegedly shattered a glass door before heading straight for the viral monster dolls, co-owner Joanna Avendano said.
'We worked so hard to get to this point, and for them to just come in and, like nothing, take it all away, it's really bad,' she told ABC 7, as quoted by The New York Post.
The Labubu dolls, a cross between a Cabbage Patch Doll and a Gremlin with bunny ears, were created by illustrator Kasing Lung and have become a TikTok fashion craze, with celebrities like Rihanna and Dua Lipa among their fans.
Typically selling for up to $500 each, one recently fetched more than $100,000.
Avendano believes the store, which opened just two months ago, may have been targeted after she announced a restock on social media. She recalled spotting a truck parked nearby before closing Tuesday night, later receiving a motion alert.
'[I got] a gut feeling to check my phone,' she said. 'Once I checked my phone, I saw there was motion, a sound that was coming through the front.'
Surveillance footage showed the suspects bypassing the till and electronics, making a beeline for the dolls. The store posted on their Instagram handle, 'Today we got robbed and they took all of our inventory, trashed our store, we are still in shock. If you guys can share this post, please and help us find these thief's [sic].'
The Los Angeles county sheriff's department city of industry station is investigating the burglary.
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