1 month ago
So overmuch for utilizing his noodle.
A California man pilfered thousands of dollars successful Lego artifact sets from nan retailer Target successful a return-based scam, sometimes swapping valuable figurines pinch dried pasta pieces and earlier returning nan construction-centric toys, authorities precocious alleged.
The alleged crippled ended pinch nan apprehension of 28-year-old Jarrelle Augustine, accused of expansive theft for allegedly stealing nan Lego sets, whose shaper is known for nan interlocking miniature bricks and figurines, according to Irving, California, police.
“You publication that correctly,” constabulary said successful a Facebook post announcing nan 14 April arrest. “We are talking astir durum wheat semolina pasta, and what we are calling a pasta-tively unspeakable plan.”
Target told authorities that location were astatine slightest 70 thefts crossed nan US tied to Augustine, “stacking up astir $34,000 successful losses”. Police quipped: “That’s a batch of missing pieces.”
“But for illustration astir bad builds, this 1 didn’t clasp together,” constabulary said, outlining nan investigation arsenic involving surveillance to place nan suspect.
They besides said: “If your maestro scheme involves swapping Legos for linguine, we tin committedness your scheme will beryllium cooked al dente.”
The Irvine constabulary section nationalist accusation serviceman Ziggy Azarcon said that investigators began looking into nan lawsuit successful December 2025.
Target’s nonaccomplishment prevention section checked returns and noticed that 1 of nan Lego boxes was unfastened and missing figurines – and subsequently notified nan constabulary department.
Azarcon said constabulary knew location was a secondary marketplace for nan missing pieces. Irvine investigators past said they wished Augustine was responsible for dozens of phoney returns.
Police impeach Augustine of buying Lego sets, opening nan packages they were in, removing nan figurines and later returning them. Augustine sometimes allegedly removed each nan Lego components and replaced them pinch pasta noodles.
The alleged financial losses impact Target’s inability to resell immoderate of these Legos, Azarcon said. It is unclear whether Augustine has an lawyer who could beryllium reached for comment.
The accusations against Augustine are among a spate of caller theft incidents involving allegedly stolen Legos.
In April, authorities seized astir $1m successful Legos and 2 stolen freight trailers that were walking to Riverside county, according to nan Los Angeles Times.
And a Vallejo, California, man was charged successful March pinch second-degree commercialized burglary and expansive theft for stealing astir $25,000 from Target successful instances spanning from August 2024 to February 2025.
The man’s “actions followed a akin method”, Contra Costa county, California, prosecutors said. He would participate a shop alone, capable a shopping cart pinch Legos and time off “exiting pinch nan stolen merchandise successful a matter of minutes”.
In different example, a California man was apprehended past autumn for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands successful Lego toys. The man was reselling nan celebrated toys astatine tip-top prices successful relationship pinch a sprawling theft ring, USA Today reported.
Target did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.
