Man Arrested for Swapping Lego Pieces with Dried Pasta

Irvine police track down alleged Lego thief who replaced sets with pasta to get refunds

Apr. 20, 2026 at 3:34am

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An extreme close-up of a Lego piece and a piece of dried pasta, highlighting their similar textures and shapes under harsh, dramatic lighting, conceptually illustrating the creative theft scheme.A forensic investigation into the creative, but illegal, methods used to steal high-value Lego pieces.Los Angeles Today

Irvine police have arrested a 28-year-old man named Jarrelle Augustine on suspicion of stealing Lego pieces by removing them from their boxes and replacing them with dried pasta. Augustine would then allegedly return the boxes to Target for a refund, adding up to $34,000 in stolen or damaged property from 70 known or suspected incidents across multiple states.

Why it matters

Lego thefts have become a growing issue across the country, with thieves targeting high-value collectible pieces and sets to resell on the secondary market. This case highlights the creative methods some criminals are using to steal Lego products, raising concerns about retail theft and the need for stronger security measures.

The details

According to investigators, Augustine would identify valuable Lego sets, purchase them, and then swap out the pieces with dried pasta before returning the boxes to Target for refunds. Police say the pasta makes a similar sound when the boxes are shaken, making the swap difficult to detect. Authorities recovered enough contraband Lego pieces to fill two garbage bags at Augustine's residence.

  • In December, Augustine allegedly bought and returned two Lego sets worth $350 from a Target store in Irvine.
  • Since November, Augustine may be responsible for about $4,000 in stolen or damaged Lego merchandise from Targets in Orange County.

The players

Jarrelle Augustine

A 28-year-old man from Texas who was arrested and charged with grand theft for the Lego theft scheme.

Irvine Police Department

The law enforcement agency that investigated the case and arrested Augustine.

Target

The retailer that was targeted by Augustine, who allegedly purchased Lego sets, replaced the pieces with pasta, and then returned the boxes for refunds.

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What they’re saying

“Creative — that's for sure. This is something that we haven't seen done before, so it was definitely unique for our investigators to be able to put this together piece by piece.”

— Ziggy Azarcon, Public information officer, Irvine Police Department

What’s next

Authorities are investigating whether Augustine was part of a larger Lego theft ring and are working to determine what he planned to do with the stolen pieces.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing problem of Lego theft across the country, with thieves using increasingly creative methods to steal high-value pieces and sets. It underscores the need for retailers to implement stronger security measures to protect their inventory and combat organized retail crime.