In the still, quiet hours before sunrise in early August, the town of La Puente, California, awoke to a crime scene that was anything but ordinary. One Stop Sales, a small specialty shop barely two months into its grand opening, found itself in the crosshairs of an unusually targeted theft. The culprits weren’t after cash registers or high-tech gadgets—instead, they came for an unusual prize: Labubu dolls.
At approximately 1:29 a.m., four masked intruders smashed through the shop’s glass door. Moving with practiced efficiency, they bypassed everything else in the store, heading directly for shelves stacked with these whimsical plush creatures. Within minutes, boxes of Labubus were piled into their getaway vehicle—a Toyota Tacoma—before the thieves disappeared into the darkness.
The Allure of the Labubu
To the uninitiated, Labubu dolls might look like curious little plush figures—wide-eyed, buck-toothed, with quirky bunny-like ears and an almost mischievous charm. But for collectors and pop culture aficionados, they’re the crown jewels of the designer toy world. Created by pop artist Kasing Lung, Labubus are sold primarily through a “blind box” system, meaning buyers don’t know which specific design they’ll get until they open the package. This element of chance, combined with limited production runs, has made them incredibly desirable.
While retail prices hover around $30, the secondary market tells a different story. Rare variants can sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Their popularity has been fueled by appearances with global celebrities such as Rihanna and Lisa from BLACKPINK, plus viral moments on TikTok that have propelled demand into a frenzy. For some collectors, owning a rare Labubu is akin to having a designer handbag or a limited-edition sneaker—it’s a badge of taste, status, and exclusivity.
A Calculated Crime
The timing of the theft seemed anything but coincidental. Just days before, One Stop Sales had posted on social media that they had restocked their Labubu inventory. That announcement, intended to attract fans and boost sales, may have also alerted the wrong kind of audience.
Once inside, the thieves ignored everything else in the store. They didn’t tamper with cash drawers, electronics, or other merchandise. Their single-minded focus on Labubu dolls suggests the job was meticulously planned, perhaps even by individuals familiar with the collectible toy market.
Initial reports from law enforcement placed the estimated loss at about $7,000 worth of merchandise. However, the store’s owners later claimed losses exceeding $25,000—likely factoring in future sales potential, high-value rare items, and the overall damage done to their budding business.
Impact on a Young Business
For co-owner Joanna Avendano, the theft was more than just a financial setback. “We worked so hard to open this place,” she lamented in interviews, “and for them just to come in and, like nothing, take it all away—it’s really bad.”
In the fiercely competitive world of small retail, every piece of inventory matters, especially for niche businesses catering to specific fandoms. Losing their entire stock of a high-demand item is not just a matter of restocking—it’s a blow to customer trust, marketing momentum, and the very identity of the store.
To help recover, One Stop Sales set up a community fundraising campaign, leaning on the loyalty of their customer base and the broader collector community. While the generosity of supporters has helped, the emotional sting remains.
Why This Crime Resonates
The theft of Labubu dolls isn’t just an oddball crime story—it’s emblematic of a shift in how collectibles and pop culture commodities are perceived in the eyes of criminals.
Not long ago, high-value thefts typically involved jewelry, luxury watches, or electronics. Now, niche products like trading cards, limited-edition sneakers, and designer toys are appearing on thieves’ wish lists. Social media has accelerated this change, creating viral demand that drives up resale values and makes certain items nearly as lucrative as gold or cash.
In this case, the combination of limited supply, sudden social media buzz, and celebrity association transformed a line of plush toys into a high-stakes target. And because collectible markets can fluctuate rapidly, thieves may see them as quick-turn investments—easy to sell to eager buyers online or at informal collector meetups.
The Risks of Going Viral
For small businesses, especially those relying heavily on online marketing, the Labubu heist is a cautionary tale. The very tools that help stores thrive—Instagram posts, TikTok videos, and community fan groups—can also become inadvertent blueprints for criminals. Announcements of restocks, photos of stockrooms, and even customer testimonials can all be pieced together by someone looking for an easy score.
Retailers selling high-value, small, and easily transportable items may need to rethink their security measures. This could mean investing in stronger entry points, secure display cases, motion sensors, or even limiting how much high-demand inventory is kept on the floor at any given time.
Law Enforcement and the Ongoing Investigation
Authorities have since recovered the Toyota Tacoma used in the getaway, but the suspects remain at large. Surveillance footage has been released in hopes that community members can provide tips leading to arrests. In cases like this, recovery of the stolen goods is often difficult—especially if items are quickly resold through online marketplaces or shipped out of the region.
Lessons for Collectors
For fans and collectors, the incident serves as a reminder to buy from reputable sources and be mindful of counterfeit products. The Labubu craze has also led to a rise in knockoffs, and desperate buyers might be more willing to take risks in sourcing rare pieces—sometimes fueling a shadow economy that thrives on stolen or counterfeit goods.
Collectors should also understand the value of their own collections, not just in sentimental terms but in real-world market value. Insurance options for high-value collectibles, secure storage, and discretion in publicizing acquisitions are all worth considering.
A Plush Toy with Serious Power
What makes the Labubu story particularly striking is how it blurs the line between plaything and high-value asset. At first glance, these dolls are whimsical, almost absurd in their design. But in the hands of devoted fans and in the context of global pop culture, they’ve become symbols of status and belonging—making them worth stealing.
The La Puente heist underscores how quickly cultural phenomena can evolve from niche obsessions into valuable commodities, vulnerable to the same risks as traditional luxury goods. For One Stop Sales, the road ahead will involve not just rebuilding inventory but also regaining the sense of joy and excitement that these dolls originally brought to their shelves.
Closing Thoughts
In the end, this theft is about more than a few dozen missing plush toys. It’s about the intersection of pop culture, commerce, and crime in the digital age. As collectibles gain in cultural cachet, they also gain in real-world value—and with that value comes a new kind of risk.
For small retailers, it’s a reminder to be vigilant. For collectors, it’s a call to protect what they love. And for the rest of us, it’s a curious peek into a world where a bunny-eared doll can inspire not just joy, but also a full-blown criminal operation.
