Under the cover of darkness in the early hours of August 6, 2025, four masked thieves smashed their way into One Stop Sales, a resale shop on Glendora Avenue in La Puente, and made off with dozens of sought-after Labubu collectible dolls. The burglars ignored cash, electronics, and other merchandise targeting only the viral toys.
Surveillance footage, later posted by the store on social media, shows the break-in unfolding around 1:29 a.m. The suspects, dressed in hoodies and face coverings, stormed through the shattered entrance, filled containers with the boxed dolls, and fled within minutes.
“They knew exactly what they wanted,”
co-owner Joanna Avendano told local reporters.
“Our entire Labubu stock is gone. It’s devastating we’d only been open for two months.”
The suspects escaped in a stolen white Toyota Tacoma, later recovered by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). No arrests have been made.
Labubu dolls, created in 2019 by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung and produced by the Chinese company Pop Mart, are part of The Monsters series. With quirky features wide eyes, bunny-like ears, and sharp-toothed grins they’ve become a pop culture sensation, bolstered by celebrity fans including Rihanna, BLACKPINK’s Lisa, and Lizzo.
Sold in “blind boxes” (sealed packaging that conceals the design inside), some rare editions resell for hundreds or in rare cases, tens of thousands of dollars. In June 2025, Prestige Online reported one auction sale topping $31,000.
The booming resale market has made Labubu dolls a prime target for thieves, much like high-value sneakers or Pokémon cards. Retailers face risks from both organized theft rings and a growing counterfeit trade.
Avendano suspects the burglary may have been planned after One Stop Sales announced a restock on Instagram.
“We wanted to let our customers know, but maybe we let the wrong people know too,”
she said.
The financial damage remains in dispute. Avendano estimates the loss at about $30,000 based on retail value while LASD puts the figure closer to $7,000. Such discrepancies often arise from different valuation methods: police may use wholesale cost or partial inventory counts, while retailers assess the full retail replacement value.
LASD’s Industry Station is leading the investigation and is urging anyone with information to come forward. The store’s posted video has been shared widely in the collector community, with hopes someone will recognize the suspects or the stolen goods.
“This isn’t just merchandise,”
Avendano said.
“It’s months of work and investment. For a small business, that’s a huge blow.”
Authorities ask that tips be directed to LASD’s Industry Station at (626) 330-3322, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or lacrimestoppers.org.
