According to the New York Times, three men in California were arrested on Wednesday in connection to the theft of one million dollars worth of Lego. The individuals were spotted fleeing in two toy-filled box trucks in Mojave, California and were caught after calls were made about suspicious vehicles. Near the scene of their arrest were empty cargo trailers with big smiley Amazon branding.
“Deputies searched the box trucks and discovered a large amount of Lego products,” wrote the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. “Deputies circulated the area and located two freight trailers. A thorough investigation, deputies discovered the trailers were stolen while in transit from Fort Worth, Texas, to Moreno Valley, California. The loss was reported to be approximately $1,000,000 worth of Lego products.”
It’s unclear if the three had intentionally Fast and Furious’d a shipment of Lego sets. The high value among collectors and their small, unassuming nature has turned many toys into high bounties. In March a Floridian man was busted for an elaborate string of trading card crimes, where the valuable packages were swapped with taco seasoning at the self-checkout. Scalpers were having a field day with the frenzy over Pokémon Lego sets. Authorities estimate this heist may have plundered thousands of mini bricks, though some fans estimate the million dollar price tag equals out to 13 or so modern kits.
The three have been arrested on charges of cargo theft, conspiracy and possession of stolen vehicles. The Times says this comes on the heels of a similar bust in October. There police investigated an entire Lego black market in Lake County, California, raiding what appeared to be a Lego figurine chop shop. Last year two men were arrested in a high-stakes diamond heist from the Louvre, but at this rate it might be easier, and as profitable, to break in to the tinier version of the Paris institution.