Imagine waking up to find that your favorite collectible, cherished by fans and celebrities alike, has been stolen right from under your nose! That’s the shocking reality for a toy store in Los Angeles, where thieves made off with more than $7,000 worth of Labubu dolls—those irresistible, toothy monster figurines that have taken TikTok by storm.

Labubus, the collectible toys crafted by talented Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, have become a global sensation, not just for their quirky designs but also for their connection to a fascinating backstory. Kasing Lung, who moved to the Netherlands at the tender age of 7, drew inspiration from Nordic fairy tales to create these playful characters. In 2015, he introduced them through an illustrated book series called The Monsters, featuring female characters known as Labubus. Fast forward to today, and these dolls are selling like hotcakes, with a life-size version once fetching an eye-watering $170,000 at auction!

The incident unfolded in the early hours of Wednesday when a group of masked thieves broke into One Stop Sales, a store located about 18 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Using a stolen Toyota Tacoma, they invaded the shop at around 1:30 a.m., clearing out all of the Labubu inventory and leaving destruction in their wake. The store owner posted on Instagram, sharing their devastation with the world: “Today we got robbed, and they took all of our inventory, trashed our store. We are still in shock.”

In recent months, Labubus have caught the eyes of celebrities who are hopping on the trend, showcasing their love for these quirky collectibles on social media. The dolls were launched in collaboration with Chinese toy company POP MART in 2019, and their sales have shattered records in the art toy category. With so many eyes on these adorable monsters, it’s no wonder that they’ve become a target for thieves.

After the robbery, the local sheriff's department launched a manhunt for the suspects while the store shared CCTV footage of the crime on social media. They plead for anyone with information to come forward, and many loyal customers and supporters rallied behind the store, offering help and spreading the word on social media. One user expressed their support, saying, “How can we help? I’ve shared and reposted! But let’s come together to help you guys bounce back!” It’s heartwarming to see community members unite during such a distressing time.

This incident is a stark reminder of how far some will go to capitalize on trends. With the world of collectibles booming, especially in the social media age, the allure of high-value toys like Labubus will likely continue to attract the attention of thieves. Here's hoping the culprits are caught, and One Stop Sales can recover from this setback and get back to sharing the joy of Labubu!