Police in Oregon busted a massive theft ring and recovered stolen Lego sets valued at more than $200,000, authorities said on Tuesday.
The Springfield Police Department announced on social media that it had conducted a three-month investigation to find that Ammon Henrikson, the owner of the Brick Builders store on Willamette Street in Eugene, allegedly “knowingly” purchased unopened Lego sets that had been stolen from local retail stores.
The police department’s Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) served a search warrant at the store on July 3 and recovered the 4,153 stolen Lego sets worth more than $200,000.
Police said suspects in several instances stole hundreds of dollars’ worth of Lego sets and “then immediately went to the Brick Builders store to exchange the stolen items for cash: most often at a fraction of their actual retail value.”
“When interviewed, some suspects advised that Brick Builders’ staff knew the sets had recently been stolen. Officers learned that many of the suspects were utilizing the money they received to buy and use illegal drugs,” the department said.
The police department said it partnered with loss prevention investigators from Walmart, Target, Fred Meyer, and Barnes & Noble to confirm that Henrikson purchased the Lego sets that had been stolen from those retail stores.
The suspects are facing charges for organized retail theft and theft by receiving, police said.
“We all feel the impact of organized retail theft through the increasing cost of items we buy for our families,” Police Chief Andrew Shearer said. “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.”