Santa Rosa police bust man for LEGO theft scheme, recover over $6K in stolen products

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- Santa Rosa detectives arrested a Lake County man accused of running an organized retail theft operation centered on stolen LEGO sets, uncovering tens of thousands of pieces during a raid on his home, police said Wednesday.

The 39-year-old man from Hidden Valley Lake was arrested Monday after a monthlong investigation by the Santa Rosa Police Department's detectives, who allege he directed others to steal high-end LEGO sets from Target and Walmart stores, then bought the stolen merchandise at reduced prices to resell for profit.

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Investigators served a search warrant at Lopez's home in the 18000 block of Spyglass Road, where they found what police described as a "large-scale operation" involving the collectible toys. The living room, kitchen, and garage were filled with tubs, bins, and desks covered in LEGO pieces, unopened boxed sets, and hundreds of disassembled minifigures sorted by facial expression.

Police said the suspect appeared to be systematically sorting and packaging the pieces for resale, a common practice in fencing operations. Detectives recovered more than $6,000 worth of stolen LEGO products.

During the search, officers also found a pump-action shotgun with a drum-style magazine, an assault rifle, a loaded handgun, and ammunition. Since the man is a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

He was booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of organized retail theft, conspiracy, and possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon, among other suspected crimes.

Police said digital evidence indicates the suspect was communicating with local retail thieves and directing them to steal specific merchandise for him.

Organized retail theft involving collectible items such as LEGO sets has become a growing concern because the items are valuable, easy to conceal, and difficult to trace once resold through online marketplaces or informal channels, according to police.