Bricks and Minifigs, a beloved franchise of used and collectible LEGO retailers, has been struck by a series of robberies.
Over the last few weeks, over $100,000 in LEGO has been stolen in at least seven robberies. Bricks and Minifigs across Southern California are being targeted in the latest of many LEGO-related crime stories. The retail shops are packed with collectible LEGO sets, and thieves have long known their resale value. Who will stop them? Where is Zach when we need him?
One of the owners of Bricks & Minifigs in Whittier says that seven stores have been hit since the beginning of April, resulting in more than $100,000 in stolen merchandise over at least seven different incidents.
"It's very violating," said Shauna Garcia, who owns one of the store's locations in Ontario. "You feel very vulnerable. You don't know if it will happen again, or our other store."
A location in Riverside was hit first on April 3 and since then stores in Ontario, Whittier, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Anaheim and Riverside.
Some footage from the burglary in Ontario shows as two men break into the store, located on N. Archibald Avenue, before stealing thousands worth of merchandise in just 42 seconds.
"It was really fast. They knew exactly what they were looking for and where it was in the store because they'd done their homework ahead of time," Garcia said.
CBS News
Previously:
• Gigantic Lego Barad-Dûr is $460
• We bought the LEGO Star Wars Rebels 'The Phantom' for the included minifigs
• Can Lego be considered art?
