Texas Police Bust Massive Lego Theft Ring

It wasn’t cash, jewelry, or electronics that sparked a multi-state crime investigation: it was Legos. What started as a cart full of stolen items turned into a $37,000 trail of stolen Legos and busted doors.

On Friday evening, Watauga police were called to a local Target store after employees reported a man had stolen over $1,200 worth of Legos. By the time officers arrived, the suspect had escaped but detectives weren’t ready to let it go.

Using surveillance footage and quick tracking, officers located the suspect at a nearby home. They identified him as 28-year-old Winston Love, who surrendered without a fight. Turns out, Love already had eight outstanding felony warrants across Tarrant, Dallas, and Rockwall counties.

The next day, police obtained a search warrant and went back to the house, where they would uncover a massive amount of stolen Lego sets, along with narcotics, and about $5,000 in cash.

As detectives sorted through the bricks and boxes, the full picture came together. Evidence tied Love to at least 23 separate Lego thefts at Target stores across more than a dozen Texas and Oklahoma cities over the last two months. The total value was more than $37,000 in stolen Lego sets.

“This case highlights the excellent work and collaboration between our officers and regional law enforcement partners,” Watauga Police Chief James R. Lewis III said. “Their swift actions not only led to the arrest of a serial offender but also the recovery of stolen property.”

Police say the stolen Legos were part of an organized retail ring, but anyone who’s ever met a true collector knows that these aren’t just toys. For Lego fans, they’re currency, obsession, and sometimes, apparently, a criminal enterprise.