A group of masked thieves stole about $7,000 worth of Labubu dolls from a Los Angeles-area store this week, authorities said.
The incident took place early Wednesday morning at a store in La Puente, a city about 18 miles (29 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, the LA County Sheriff's Department said.
The department said the suspects used a stolen Toyota Tacoma in the incident, which was recovered shortly afterward. The agency said it was investigating the case and did not have additional information.
Labubu dolls, created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, have become a popular collectible item a decade after the toothy monsters were first introduced.
Created in 2015 by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, the wide-eyed, grinning plushies gained wider distribution in 2019 through Chinese toy company Pop Mart. The collectible figurines are often sold in 'blind boxes' – sealed containers holding a surprise item from a themed collection.
Toy vendor One Stop Sales said in an Instagram post that the thieves took all of the store's inventory and trashed the establishment. The store posted surveillance footage showing a group of people wearing hoodies and face coverings breaking in. The suspects are seen shuffling through items and carrying boxes out of the shop.
The burglary happened around 1:29 a.m. on Aug. 6 at One Stop, a store known for its Labubu dolls and accessories.
"We worked so hard to get to this point, [only] for them just to come in and like nothing take it all away," Joanna Avendano, co-owner of One Stop Sales, told local ABC station KABC-TV on Thursday.
“We are still in shock,” the store said in its post, urging people to help find the thieves.
Deputies told ABC News that the suspects remain at large but they have recovered the stolen white Toyota Tacoma used in the crime.
