Australian man arrested for stealing A$250,000 worth of LEGO
An Australian man has been arrested after police seized truckloads of stolen LEGO items worth over A$250,000 (P14.3 million).
South Australian authorities recovered more than 2,500 LEGO sets, about 1,700 of which were unopened, describing it as the “largest individual seizure of stolen goods” during a search operation on August 30 at Royal Park in Adelaide. Authorities required three trucks to remove the haul of confiscated Lego items from the scene due to its weight.
Police said the suspect, 41, is believed to have obtained the stolen items from retail and department stores with the intent to sell them online.
“This type of theft is not victimless. Those who purchase cheap goods from online sites are unwittingly facilitating this crime, and we urge them to consider that,” acting assistant commissioner of Metropolitan Operations Service John De Candia said in a media release.
Operation Measure, launched in 2022 as a joint effort between South Australia Police and the retail industry, is a program aimed at combating theft and reducing repeat offenders.
Since it began, 5,927 thefts have been reported to known offenders, with 2,425 arrests made. Authorities say the operation has significantly reduced theft reports, including a six percent drop in shoplifting cases and eight consecutive declines in reported offences.
