Police in Oregon have busted a major theft ring and recovered stolen Lego sets valued at more than $200,000, authorities announced Tuesday.
Springfield Police Department Announced The company announced on social media that a three-month investigation determined that Amon Henrikson, owner of the Brick Builders store on Willamette Avenue in Eugene, “knowingly” purchased unopened Lego sets that had been stolen from a local retailer.
The police department’s Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) executed a search warrant at the store on July 3 and recovered 4,153 stolen Lego sets, valued at more than $200,000.
Police said the suspects stole hundreds of dollars worth of Lego sets in multiple incidents and “promptly then went to Brick Builders stores and exchanged the stolen items for cash, in most cases a fraction of the actual retail value.”
“When questioned, some of the suspects stated that Brick Builders staff were aware that the sets had recently been stolen. Officers discovered that many of the suspects used the money they received to purchase and use illegal drugs,” police said.
Police said they worked with anti-theft investigators from Walmart, Target, Fred Meyer and Barnes & Noble to determine that Henrikson purchased the stolen Lego sets from those retailers.
The suspects are charged with organized retail theft and larceny, police said.
“We all feel the impact of organised retail theft with increased prices for the items we buy for our families,” Police Chief Andrew Shearer said. “Recognising this, Sydney Police’s Crime Reduction Unit, with the support of our retail partners, is working diligently to hold accountable those who choose to engage in or support retail theft.”
