Smash-and-Grab Thieves Target Los Angeles Toy Stores, Stealing $7,000 in Trendy Labubu Dolls

LOS ANGELES, CA — A bizarre yet highly organized series of retail thefts has struck toy retailers in Los Angeles, with thieves focusing on the wildly popular Labubu art toy dolls. In one high-profile incident, burglars made off with approximately $7,000 worth of the collectible dolls after smashing through the storefront of a local boutique.

The craze surrounding the Labubu characters—designed by artist Kasing Lung and produced by Pop Mart—has created a booming secondary market, making them prime targets for retail criminals. Multiple sources, including The Guardian, KTLA, and the Global Times, reported on the smash-and-grab incident which also targeted one of the oldest toy stores in the city. The suspects smashed windows during the early morning hours, quickly cleared out display shelves containing the coveted items, and fled the scene before police arrived.

Store owners expressed their devastation, noting that the cost of structural damage to their shops often exceeds the value of the stolen goods. The Los Angeles Police Department is analyzing surveillance videos showing the break-ins. Investigators believe the stolen merchandise is being fenced online or through unauthorized local pop-up markets where the demand for Labubu dolls remains extremely high.