Thousands of boxes of Lego toys recovered in bust of theft ring, police say
Police arrested two people in a series of Lego thefts from stores in Southern California. More than 2,800 boxes of the toys were seized at one suspect's home. Los Angeles police have arrested two people and seized over 2,800 boxes of Lego toys from a Long Beach home. Richard Siegel, 71, was charged with organized retail theft and Blanca Gudino, 39, was arrested on charges of grand theft. The arrests were made a day after detectives searched the home of Siegel and seized the toys. The toys were found in Siegel's home, with individual boxes varying in value from $20 to over $1,000. Police also have been searching for suspects who have stolen over $100,000 worth of Lego merchandise from Southern California.
Publicerad : 11 månader sedan förbi Ian James i Tech
Thousands of boxes of Lego toys recovered in bust of theft ring, police say
Boxes of Lego bricks and toys were stockpiled in a Long Beach home, authorities say. (Los Angeles Police Department)
Los Angeles police say they have busted a Lego theft ring, arresting two people and seizing more than 2,800 boxes of Lego toys that were stockpiled in a Long Beach home.
Police announced the arrests Thursday, a day after they said detectives searched the home of Richard Siegel, 71, and seized the toys.
Siegel was charged with organized retail theft. The second suspect, Blanca Gudino, 39, was arrested on charges of grand theft.
Gudino, of Lawndale, had previously been identified as a suspect in a series of thefts from a retail store in San Pedro in December, police said.
On Tuesday, police said, officers saw Gudino steal items from the same retailer in Lakewood and Torrance. She then took the toys to Siegel’s home, police said.
When police searched Siegel’s home, they said, they found the stacked boxes of Lego toys, with individual boxes varying in value from $20 to more than $1,000.
Read more: Lego thefts across Southern California leave police trying to piece together clues
The Los Angeles Police Department said that while the officers were working at the home, “potential buyers of the toys arrived, lured by advertisements placed by Siegel on internet sales sites.”
Police also have recently been searching for suspects who have stolen more than $100,000 worth of Lego merchandise from across Southern California.
Police did not say if any links are suspected between those thefts and the latest arrests.
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
Ämnen: Theft, Trafficking (Stolen Goods)