Police in Texas have arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly stealing more than $1,300 for Lego products.
Winston Love, 28, was arrested by Watagua, Texas police on Friday after a brief standoff outside of a home where he’d been staying. He is a suspect in a major theft ring that involves tens of thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods from stores in north Texas and Oklahoma.
On Friday, Love allegedly tried to slip out of a Target in Watagua with $1,300 worth of Lego toys. Someone at the store noted and reported the alleged theft, which led police to track down Love at a home where he had been staying.
"He initially refused to come out. However, officers were able to communicate and to peacefully surrender," Watauga Police Chief Jim Lewis told Fox 4 News.
Police executed a search warrant at the residence as part of their investigation into a larger theft ring targeting stores in north Texas and Oklahoma, most of which involved stealing Lego products.
"We know of 23 here locally just in the last two months. There are over 80 additional incidents that have occurred being tracked since this individual has begun being tracked," Lewis said.
At the time of his arrest, Love had eight outstanding felony warrants and has been arrested or is wanted for similar alleged thefts at stores in Dallas, Irving, Plano, Flower Mound, Euless, Fort Worth, Lewisville, Mansfield, Arlington, Irving, and Frisco, according to police.
Lewis desribed Love's alleged actions as “brazen.”
"It’s incredibly brazen. When you watch video of the individual committing these crimes, he truly goes shopping through the store, determines what merchandise he wants, and this individual specifically targets Lego products. He either loads them in a cart or just loads them under his arms and literally walks right out the door, almost defying anybody to, in complete defiance of anybody that might try to stop him," Lewis said.
While stealing Lego sets may not seem like the more efficient target for thieves, the toys do demand a high price from collectors and on second-hand markets. Police in California even arrested an alleged fence — someone who buys and sells stolen goods — who dealt primarily in pilfered Lego sets earlier last month, according to the New York Times.
"It’s easy to sell those products online at nearly their retail value, so the risk versus reward for them becomes worth it," Lewis said.
Love is currently being held in the Tarrant County jail on a state felony theft charge. His additional outstanding warrants are for thefts in other counties.
Police in Watauga are continuing their investigation and said they have not rule out making additional arrests related to the theft ring.
