Ethermac|Oregon police find $200,000 worth of stolen Lego sets at local toy store

Following a three-month investigation,Ethermac police uncovered $200,000 worth of stolen Lego sets at an Oregon store in a bust of a major theft ring of the plastic toy, officials said.

According to a news release, at around 12:30 p.m. on July 3, the Springfield Police Department’s (SPD) Crime Reduction Unit served a search warrant at the Brick Builders storefront, a store that sells collectible toys, located at 1133 Willamette Street in Eugene.  

The investigation revealed that the store’s owner, Ammon Henrikson, 47, a resident of Springfield, about 3 miles east of Eugene, had knowingly purchased new and unopened sets of Legos that had been stolen from local retail stores, police said. 

Police said that the suspects involved in the incident stole hundreds of dollars worth of Lego sets and went to the Brick Builders store to exchange the stolen goods for cash. The sets would often be sold at a fraction of their retail price.  

During the police investigation, some suspects said that Brick Builders' staff knew the sets were stolen. In addition, the officers learned that many of the suspects were using the money they had received to purchase and use illegal drugs.

The department also worked alongside loss prevention investigators from retail stores like Target, Fred Meyer, Barnes & Noble and Walmart to confirm that Henrikson had purchased Lego sets that were stolen from those retailers.  

Further investigation revealed that 4,153 Lego sets were stolen, police said.  

Authorities bust Lego theft ring:Find over 2,800 toys at home in Long Beach, California

"We all feel the impact of organized retail theft through the increasing cost of items we buy for our families," Springfield Police Department Police Chief Andrew Shearer said in a statement. "Recognizing this, SPD’s Crime Reduction Unit, with the support of our retail partners, works diligently to hold accountable those who make the choice to engage in or support retail theft. SPD is proud of the work of our officers, and we are committed to the pursuit of those behind these crimes in our community."

Henrikson and another suspect that was identified as Albert Nash, 57, a Eugene resident, are facing charges of organized retail theft and theft by receiving.

Brick Builders has since been listed as “temporarily closed” and is scheduled to reopen on March 8, 2025, according to Yelp. 

If you have any additional information related to this incident, please contact the Springfield Police Department at 541-726-3714 or email them at [email protected].  

Los Angeles police bust Lego theft ring

Last month, the Los Angeles Police Department detained two people in connection to a Lego theft ring bust that seized nearly 3,000 boxes of stolen Lego toys in Southern California.

The police department first got wind of the theft ring in December, the news release said. Someone contacted authorities about a series of robberies from a store on North Gaffey Street in San Pedro.

Loss prevention staff pointed out a woman, Blanca Gudino, to police in December in relation to the case, then on Tuesday LAPD members saw the same woman steal items from the same business's Torrance and Lakewood locations, LAPD said. 

Authorities claim she took the stolen Lego toys to a man named Richard Siegel, who lives in Long Beach.

Police said Gudino was charged with grand theft and online records show she is being held on a $20,000 bond. 

Siegel was charged with organized retail theft and has been released, online records show.

Contributing: Saleen Martin, USA TODAY

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.