Criminals Caught With $260,000 In Stolen LEGO Sets

It's hard not to notice these days that Lego is a hot commodity. Between a hit movie based on the small plastic bricks to collaborations with dozens of other franchises, which even cross over into video games, the near-timeless toy is more popular than ever. Like anything with a high value, thieves want to get their hands on it, often for the purpose of reselling it. In two separate situations last week, U.S. police caught more than a few criminals with nearly $260,000 worth of stolen Lego sets in their possession.

The first arrest was none other than a 53-year-old woman in New York. Local police took her into custody along with 800 Lego sets worth $59,000. The woman was said to have been trying to sell on eBay. But this recovery of stolen property pales in comparison to the second.

Four Phoenix residents were arrested with about $40,000 in stolen Lego, but in the course of their investigation, authorities discovered they had stored away an incredible $160,000 in sets at a different location. It was enough Lego to fill 18 pallets, and required three trucks packed full to take away the boxes. The group had been stealing from a number of Toys 'R' Us stores.

When looking at some of the prices that popular Lego sets sell for second-hand online, especially if unopened, it begins to make sense why the plastic bricks attract thieves. Sets from the Star Wars, Marvel, or DC lines often attract collectors willing to pay high prices, particularly when they can no longer be found.

For example, the Statue of Liberty set, first released in 2000 for $200, can be found on Amazon for as much as $10,000. Likewise, unopened boxes of the Eiffel Tower or a collector's edition of the Millennium Falcon can sell on eBay for prices around $3,300. Once you add in the fact that Lego are untraceable and easily portable, they're nearly as good as cash.

SOURCE Vocativ