$10,000 Labubu doll heist highlights rising demand for the collectible
A California toy store was robbed of thousands of dollars in inventory. The only thing the thieves took? Labubu dolls — $10,000 worth of them.
The burglary is part of a larger trend sweeping across the U.S., a spike in demand for rare designer toys that’s making them difficult to find, and even more tempting to burglars.
According to the Economic Times, the Labubu brand has grown into a $1.8 billion industry.
Burglary in La Puente targets Labubu dolls
The break-in happened early Wednesday morning at One Stop Sales in La Puente, CA. Store owners say the robbers trashed the business and took their inventory.
According to surveillance footage posted to the store’s Instagram account, the suspects broke in and cleared shelves full of Labubu plush toys, worth an estimated $10,000.
From China to collectors’ shelves
Labubu dolls are made by Pop Mart, a designer toy company based in China. The character is part of a fictional group called “The Monsters” and has become a fashion-forward icon.
Each Labubu is sold in a blind box, meaning buyers don’t know which figure they’ll get until they open it. This element of surprise has helped fuel a booming resale market. Retail prices for Labubu dolls start at $27.99, but limited editions can sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars on resale platforms like eBay. Even One Stop Sales has a Labubu listed on their site for $500.
That resale value has also made them a shiny target for criminals.
In June, The Makeup Shack — a beauty shop in Southern California — posted surveillance video of a similar early morning burglary.
Three suspects entered the store around 5 a.m., making off with multiple Labubu dolls, a safe, electronics and personal items.
Midwest stores feel the heat, too
Even in places like Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Labubu craze is in full effect. According to local news outlet Pigeon605, one toy store owner in the area receives dozens of new dolls each week — and they sell out quickly.
If not buying them from stores, fans refresh their apps for hours during releases.
According to Pop Mart North America, new Labubu releases go live online every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET, with in-store drops on Fridays. Some series are restocked almost daily during evening hours.
Because of the unpredictable restocks and limited supply, collectors often rely on surprise “Pop Now” drops and TikTok alerts to secure their favorite characters.
Disney has also taken notice of the designer plush trend. The company launched its own line of mini plush keychains this week called Urupocha-chan, echoing Pop Mart’s successful formula of collectible characters.
Store owners hope social media can help
As for One Stop Sales, the burglars have not been caught. Store owners are hoping that posting surveillance clips online will help identify the suspects and the white Toyota Tacoma seen fleeing the scene.
They say the support from the Labubu collector community has been strong, and they’re counting on that network to help them recover what was lost.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
