If you know anything about trends that cause a sudden spike in value in an object, you know how the story goes.
We’ve seen it repeated over and over again with everything from Pokémon cards to fancy cheeses. It should come as no surprise to anyone that masked thieves hit a toy store in La Puente, California, and made off with approximately $7,000 worth of Labubu dolls.
Suppose you are somehow unfamiliar with Labubu dolls. In that case, they’re a line of toothy, creepy-looking vinyl figures that have become a massive hit among young women and collectors.
Despite looking like a Funko Pop version of the gremlin on the plane wing from that one William Shatner episode of The Twilight Zone. Anyway.
If you need an even shorter explanation: they are the new Furbies/Beanie Babies/Tickle Me Elmo. They’re cute and wildly popular. They just struck the right chord in a lot of people at the same time.
Thieves Made Off With $7,000 Worth of Labubu Dolls
Created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung about 10 years ago, they slowly gained popularity in recent years until they became a full-on obsession, and the latest fad trinket collectors are snatching them up and selling off before their value inevitably declines.
I admit that that description sounds cynical, but it’s also how these things generally work out. A slopped-together Netflix documentary will be made about their “rise and fall” in about a year or two and will be released to no acclaim.
The break-in occurred early on Wednesday morning, August 6, when a crew arrived in a stolen Toyota Tacoma and ransacked One Stop Sales, a small local toy store. According to the LA County Sheriff’s Department, the truck was ditched soon after. Surveillance footage posted by the store on Instagram shows the thieves, wearing hoodies, engaging in a smash-and-grab.
The team at One Stop Sales is deeply distraught over the entire situation. “We are still in shock,” said a store representative in an online post in which they also urged anyone with information on the thieves’ whereabouts to come forward.
The investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made, although I’m sure the shop owners and police are keeping a close eye on any eBay or Mercari listings for around $7,000 worth of Labubu dolls.
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