LEGO crime scene found in California home

In a scene that could be found in your favorite slasher horror film, detectives from the Santa Rosa Police Department arrived at a house in Lake County, California, to find tens of thousands of Legos in tubs and bins. According to the New York Times:  

“During the service of a search warrant at the residence, detectives discovered tens of thousands of Lego pieces spread throughout the home, indicating a large-scale operation involving the collectible items. The living room was filled with tubs, bins, and desks covered in loose LEGO pieces, along with numerous unopened boxes of new LEGO sets.

In the kitchen, thousands more pieces were scattered, and hundreds of disassembled LEGO minifigures were found, with bodies separated from heads, neatly organized by facial expression.

Unopened LEGO boxes lined the hallway floor, and the garage contained approximately 100 assembled minifigures displayed on shelves, along with more unopened sets, large tubs of loose pieces, and broken-down packaging. The scene suggested systematic sorting and potential resale activity, consistent with fencing operations involving high-demand collectible items.”

Detectives also found many small LEGO collectible figurines, each carefully packed in tiny plastic bags. The sale of stolen LEGO figurines is becoming more common because they’re highly valuable, popular with collectors, and easy to hide. These items are often targeted because they’re small, untraceable, and in high demand—perfect for quick resale online or through informal channels.

“The scene suggested systematic sorting and potential resale activity, consistent with fencing operations involving high-demand collectible items,” the police told the Times.

“Located in a safe were ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and two firearms: a pump-action pistol grip shotgun with a collapsible stock loaded with a drum-style magazine, and an assault rifle with a loaded high-capacity magazine inserted into it,” the police said in a statement. “A loaded handgun was also located in a lockbox in the suspect’s bedroom dresser. The suspect, a convicted felon, is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and/or ammunition.”