Lego Larceny

Jul 8 / Dan Keller





“Lego Larceny” refers to the act of stealing Lego sets or individual Lego pieces. Theft and shoplifting of Legos has become an epidemic problem throughout the U.S., and other countries as well.

Lego sets often come out in limited editions, and they can soon become collectors’ items. The most sought-after Lego sets are those in their original packaging, unopened.

 

Some Lego sets routinely sell for thousands of dollars in online marketing places. Sellers are asking more than $3,500 for an unopened set of Lego Millennium Falcon.

 

Lego sets, ranging from $100 to $1,000 or more, are frequently stolen by shoplifters and organized retail gangs.

 

Lego is always refurbishing their offerings, always on-trend with tie-ins to pop culture and special edition sets.

 

Stolen Lego sets are easy to sell and difficult to trace. Stolen Lego sets are routinely among the top 10 most stolen retail items.

 

Deterring “Lego Larceny”

The are a number of means which retail stores can employ to deter Lego theft and shoplifting, including:

  • Place Lego sets in well-lit areas with good visibility from different parts of the store
  • Use video surveillance cameras with signs and visible monitors throughout the store
  • Keep valuable Lego sets in locked cabinets or display cases. The store has to have employees readily available with a set of keys to respond.
  • Secure valuable Lego sets with an Alpha Spider Wrap, a device consisting of a strong, coiled cable that wraps around the Lego set. The Spider Wrap units are alarmed if tampered with or if someone leaves the store without it being properly removed


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