Latest news with #JoannaAvendano
Al Bawaba
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
$30,000 worth of Labubu dolls stolen from US shop
ALBAWABA- Chino, California, recently made headlines after four thieves stole $30,000 worth of Labubu dolls from a warehouse over multiple days, according to local police. The thieves ignored the money and electronics inside the store and instead focused on stealing Pop Mart's trendy dolls, according to surveillance camera footage provided by the owner. The New York Post reported that the four thieves allegedly smashed the store's glass door to get inside. Co-owner Joanna Avendano told ABC 7, "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." Avendano added that the store might have been robbed after it was targeted when she posted about the Labubu dolls restock on social media. $30,000 worth of Labubu dolls stolen from US shop Chino police recently revealed that they managed to retrieve the stolen Labubu dolls and return them to their rightful owner after investigating a home in Upland under a search warrant. The police also revealed evidence that the dolls were going to be resold and shipped across the US. While Labubu dolls were first launched in 2019, the viral dolls only gained traction in 2024 when Blackpink's Lisa was spotted with one attached to her bag. Moreover, celebrities such as Rihanna, Post Malone, and Dua Lipa also caused an explosion in the dolls' popularity after endorsing them. Labubus's success made its founder, Wang Ning, one of China's youngest billionaires, generating approximately $423 million in revenue in 2024 alone.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Masked robbers steal $30,000 worth of Labubu dolls in La Puente smash-and-grab
A resale shop in La Puente, California, is pleading for help after masked robbers stole an estimated $30,000 worth of Labubu dolls in an early morning smash-and-grab on August 6. Surveillance footage shows the suspects breaking the front door of One Stop Sales before heading directly to a display stocked with the popular collectible figures. Store owner Joanna Avendano told ABC7 that the thieves ignored all other merchandise and targeted only Labubu dolls. 'There was a lot taken, maybe like around $30,000 or more of inventory,' 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.' Labubu dolls, produced by Pop Mart, retail for about $30 but can fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars on the resale market. Avendano believes the burglary may have been planned, noting she had recently shared news of a new shipment on social media. Following the theft, she posted online asking for help in identifying the suspects seen in the store's security footage. 'Today we got robbed, they took all of our inventory and trashed our store. We are still in shock. Please help us find these thieves,' she wrote. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating, and no arrests have been made. Labubu collectibles have surged in popularity in 2025, with celebrities spotted wearing Labubu-themed items on red carpets. Their success has contributed to making Pop Mart's founder China's youngest billionaire.
Euronews
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Thieves steal $7,000 worth of Labubu dolls from California store
A gang of masked burglars has stolen roughly $7,000 (€6,010) worth of Labubu dolls from a toy store in California – the latest sign of just how wild the global craze for the collectible figures has become. The break-in happened around 1:29 a.m. on Wednesday 6 August at One Stop Sales, a shop in La Puente, just east of Los Angeles, known for stocking the hugely popular dolls. Surveillance footage posted online shows at least four people in hoodies and face coverings smashing their way into the store, rifling through shelves, and carrying out box after box of merchandise. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the group used a stolen white Toyota Tacoma to flee the scene. The truck was later recovered, but the suspects remain on the run. A post shared by One Stop Sales (@onestopsaless) 'We are still in shock,' the store posted on Instagram, alongside footage of the incident and images showing shattered glass and trashed displays. "We worked so hard to get to this point, [only] for them just to come in and like nothing take it all away," co-owner Joanna Avendano told local ABC affiliate KABC-TV. The burglars made off with the shop's entire Labubu inventory – and given the dolls' exploding popularity, that's no small loss. Created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, Labubu's creepy-cute characters first launched in 2015 and have since become a global obsession. Originally retailing for about $30 (€25,75) , the dolls now sell for hundreds – even thousands – on the resale market. Pop Mart, the Chinese toy giant behind Labubu, reported a whopping $1.8 billion (€1.55 billion) in revenue in 2024, more than double the previous year. The dolls have found fans among A-listers like Rihanna, Lizzo and BLACKPINK's Lisa, and scenes of fans queuing around the block at Labubu pop-ups are now a regular feature on social media.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Los Angeles Labubu Heist: What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Masked thieves stole approximately $7,000 worth of popular Labubu collectible dolls Wednesday morning from a toy store in La Puente, California, according to the Associated Press. Newsweek has reached out to the LA County Sheriff's Department via email on Saturday for comment. What Are Labubu Dolls? Labubu dolls are fluffy, gremlin-style toys and bag charms that are equal parts cute and creepy. The toys come in an array of different colors and feature big, pointed bunny rabbit ears, wide eyes and a wide spiky-toothed grin. Part of a wider series of creatures dubbed "The Monsters," inspired by mythology, Labubus are designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung. Part of the appeal is that Labubus are sold as "blind box" collectibles, which means you don't know which one you have until you've opened the box. This makes it harder to collect a full set and adds to the appeal of unboxing videos. The exclusive dolls play into one of the most dominant fashion trends of the past few seasons: the bag charm. According to fashion data website Lyst, in 2024, demand for bag charms and bags with embellishments rose by 352 percent month-on-month and they were a prominent feature on the FW25 runways, appearing in 33 percent of Louis Vuitton menswear looks, as per Databutmakeitfashion. In the past year, the Chinese toymaker's annual revenues grew in Southeast Asia by 619 percent to $309 million dollars, as per CNN. Shares in Pop Mart have risen more than 95 percent this year, after a 370 percent surge in 2024, according to the South China Morning Post. A collection of Labubu toys in a Pop Mart outlet in Hangzhou city in east China's Zhejiang province on July 17. A collection of Labubu toys in a Pop Mart outlet in Hangzhou city in east China's Zhejiang province on July 17. FeatureChina via AP Images What To Know The LA County Sheriff's Department confirmed the suspects used a stolen Toyota Tacoma in the heist, which was recovered shortly after the incident. One Stop Sales, located about 18 miles east of Los Angeles, was completely ransacked during the break-in, according to the owners and authorities. Security footage shows multiple suspects wearing hoodies and face coverings methodically clearing shelves and carrying boxes of merchandise out of the toy store. Joanna Avendano, co-owner of One Stop Sales, told local station ABC7 that she had noticed a suspicious truck parked near her store before closing Tuesday night. She added that she believes the burglars had been watching the shop's social media account where Avendano had recently posted a video announcing a new restock of Labubus. What People Are Saying One Stop Sales released a statement on their Instagram: "We are still in shock. They took all of our inventory [and] trashed our store. We are asking for everyone's help in finding these people." The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told NBC News: "Several boxes of Labubu dolls were stolen, valued at approximately seven thousand dollars." Co-owner of One Stop Sales Joanna Avendano told ABC7: "There was a lot taken, maybe like around $30,000 or more of inventory. 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 continued: "I was watching everything, from when they got in, what they were taking. I was panicking because I was just...I couldn't do anything." What Happens Next The sheriff's department continues investigating the case, though no arrests have been announced. The store is appealing to the community through social media to help identify the suspects captured in surveillance footage. Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
Mint
4 days ago
- Mint
Massive Labubu heist! ₹26.23 lakh worth of viral toys stolen from California store
In a massive Labubu heist, thieves stole ₹ 26.23 lakh worth of viral toys from a store in California, Los Angeles. These toothy, fluffy, mischievous monster dolls and all their viral spinoffs are escalating into a potential crime wave. According to The Guardian, the theft was 'pre-planned' and was carried out by a group of burglars. The store had just announced a restock in Labubus. Joanna Avendano, co-owner of One Stop Sales, told local news that a lot of Labubu dolls were taken, estimating his loss at "maybe like around $30,000 or more of inventory". '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 said. According to the store's co-owner, the burglars targeted the Labubus specifically, bypassing other merchandise. She also alleged that the break-in was planned. A suspicious truck was reportedly parked outside the store on Tuesday night, which Joanna Avendano said she suspects was the burglars monitoring the store's social media account. It wasn't clear how many dolls were stolen. The Los Angeles County Sheriff said an investigation into the burglary is underway, and shared that the van used for the crime was found abandoned shortly after. 'Several boxes of Labubu dolls were stolen, valued at approximately seven thousand dollars,' the sheriff's department said in a statement. Labubu dolls are priced at a whopping $500 ( ₹ 43,730) each on its official website. However, their significant demand has incited resellers to hike prices by thousands of dollars each and the rise of a black market of fake Labubus.
