Three suspects are accused of conspiring to steal minifigures from numerous Lego sets across the D.C. area, making a tidy profit reselling them online.
Collectible minifigures from fandoms such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Zelda were secretly swiped in 29 incidents, supplying a high-volume eBay storefront that netted over $36,000 in 12 months, according to a criminal complaint.
The Arlington County Police Department conducted the investigation in coordination with other jurisdictions in Virginia and Maryland.
“Thanks to teamwork across state lines and the vigilance of public safety professionals in the business community, a multi-state fraud scheme has halted, demonstrating ACPD’s unwavering commitment to Crime Prevention and Control,” ACPD said in a Facebook post.
In one incident on Jan. 8, 2025, two suspects entered the Target store in Ballston with bags of merchandise including two sealed Lego sets with a combined retail value of $640, police said.
“Subsequent inspection revealed the boxes had been previously opened, high-value components including minifigures removed, and the packaging resealed to appear new and unopened,” the criminal complaint says.
The suspects allegedly struck again on April 27 of this year, returning a Lego set to the Target in Pentagon City for a full refund of $160. Once again, further inspection revealed that minifigures had been removed and the packaging was resealed to make it look unaltered.
That incident was reported on May 19, launching the criminal investigation.
“During the call for service, Loss Prevention personnel alerted the officers to the possibility of the incident being linked to similar incidents in the region,” police said on social media.
The suspects were arrested on June 12 on charges related to racketeering and larceny. All three are scheduled to appear in court tomorrow (Thursday).
