Police in Oregon said they discovered more than 4,000 allegedly stolen Lego sets worth more than $200,000 at toy store known as Brick Builders near Eugene, Oregon, on Tuesday, July 9. The store’s owner and an employee are facing charges of organized retail theft and receiving stolen merchandise. The organized theft charge alone carries a potential sentence of two years in prison.
Police raided the toy store after a three-month investigation into how the store obtained the hard-to-find Lego sets. Law enforcement said that the thieves would steal expensive Legos from retailers like Target or Barnes & Nobles and then sell them to employees at Brick Builders.
The business would then sell the stolen Lego sets at premium prices, according to police.
Oregon recently increased maximum penalties for retail theft as the crime trend continues to grow nationwide.
Target recently closed several stores across the country over retail crime and hired more security staff. Retailers are also reportedly putting more items behind glass, but that move comes with a cost.
According to an analyst interviewed by Straight Arrow News, locking up merchandise can reduce sales anywhere from 12% to 20%.
Law enforcement retail theft crackdowns are also reportedly intensifying in Florida, where 14 people were charged with stealing more than $20 million in merchandise in October of 2023.
Meanwhile, in Texas, lawmakers are exploring the option of a proposed task force to tackle an uptick in retail theft.
It is estimated that retail theft costs stores billions of dollars each year, and some employees have even been attacked during “smash-and-grabs.” In turn, the crime results in fewer retail options and higher prices for customers.
