When police searched a home in Upland as part of a recent burglary investigation, they weren’t looking for piles of cash or bags full of jewelry, but boxes of what has become the must-have item of the year.
Within each of the 14 boxes taken from the home, Chino police said, were those little customizable monsters that are taking over America — Labubu.
According to a social media post on Monday, Chino police on Friday recovered $30,000 worth of the furry figurines , which usually retail for about $30, from a home as part of an investigation into a series of thefts from a local warehouse.
The figurines are usually sold at Pop Mart stores and create a fervor whenever new supplies are released. A child-size Labubu sold at auction for $150,000, according to media reports, and limited edition monsters can retail for $150.
When police searched the home, they found an operation to resell and ship the figurines across the country, officials said. A teenager inside the home tried to run away but eventually surrendered. They were arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen goods, according to the Chino Police Department. A second suspect, also a teenager, was arrested in connection with the burglary, which apparently took place between Aug. 1 and Aug. 3. The Labubus were returned to their owner, and the investigation is ongoing.
With their popularity soaring, Labubu heists are not unheard of in the Southland.
Last week, thieves robbed a La Puente business that advertised its stock of Labubu figurines online. One Stop Sales said that thieves broke into the shop and stole multiple boxes of merchandise, including Labubu monsters. The shop owners later announced that some of the merchandise was recovered by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The figurines are often sold in timed online events, and customers can pick up items at storefronts across the U.S.
