In the early hours of the morning, One Stop Sales store in La Puente, Los Angeles, witnessed an attack by four masked thieves who specifically targeted the popular Labubu dolls.
The Labubu doll theft, carried out with great precision and prior planning, dealt a severe blow to the young store owner, whose business had been open for only two months.
Joanna Avendano, the store owner, stated: “We lost almost $30,000 or more of our inventory.”
Why Did the Labubu Doll Heist Happen?
The Labubu dolls are created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and exclusively produced by the Chinese company Pop Mart.
These dolls, with their quirky look and cute little teeth, are sold through the Blind Box mechanism — meaning customers do not know which specific design is inside the box until they open it, adding excitement and collectibility to the market.
The retail value of Labubus can range from $28 to $500 depending on the model and release, but in the second-hand market, some rare editions sell for thousands of dollars.
One Labubu doll sold in July for a staggering $105,000.
The Role of Social Media and Celebrities in the Labubu Craze
The prominent presence of Labubu dolls in the hands of celebrities such as Rihanna and Lisa from BLACKPINK sparked a cultural trend and increased demand for these dolls.
Fans often attach the dolls to their bags or backpacks, creating a trendy style.
This wave on social media has multiplied the product’s value and fueled the black market for Labubu dolls, as well as counterfeit production an issue that authorities have explicitly warned against.
Details of the Labubu Doll Heist and Reactions
According to CCTV footage, four masked men broke the glass doors at around 1:30 a.m., entering the store and focusing solely on Labubu dolls, ignoring electronics, cash, or other goods.
Los Angeles police estimated the stolen items’ value based on purchase cost at between $7,000 and $30,000, though the store believes the real loss is much higher.
Ms. Avendano suspects the culprits learned the optimal time for the theft through social media or posts about the new Labubu inventory on Instagram.
A suspicious vehicle had been parked near the store the night before, and later, police found the vehicle a Toyota Tacoma abandoned hours after the incident.
Aftermath and the Future of the Store
The Labubu doll heist received widespread attention, with people and social media users sharing the CCTV footage on Instagram to support and express sympathy for the store.
Ms. Avendano hopes that with the community’s help and police efforts, the criminals can be identified and her business can recover.
This incident symbolizes the impact of fast-moving cultural trends on communities and highlights the importance of smart social media management for businesses.
The Labubu craze is now not only a collectors’ thrill but also a new source of risk and challenge.
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