Puppets and Props Stolen During Hollywood Heist

Thousands of dollars worth of puppets and props were stolen from a children's show creator in the Hollywood Hills.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Puppets and props were reported stolen during a Hollywood heist, which is an unusual target for a crime typically associated with money or jewelry theft. The stolen items belonged to Jackie Smook, the creator of a touring children's puppet show, who had the items transported from Chicago to her apartment in Beechwood Canyon. Security camera footage shows the box containing the puppets and props was on the street at 5:39 a.m. but gone by 5:44 a.m. on Monday, just two days after Smook's arrival. Law enforcement is now trying to locate the stolen items.

Why it matters

Crimes targeting unique, specialized items like puppets and props are uncommon, making this incident stand out. The stolen items represent the life's work of the children's show creator, and their recovery is crucial to the continuation of her touring puppet show. The Hollywood community is hopeful they can come together to help Smook track down her stolen belongings.

The details

According to reports, Jackie Smook, the creator of a touring children's puppet show, was the victim of the heist. The box containing thousands of dollars worth of puppets and props had traveled with Smook nearly 2,000 miles from Chicago to her apartment in Beechwood Canyon. Smook noticed the box was missing on Monday, just two days after her arrival. Security camera footage from a neighbor shows the box on the street at 5:39 a.m. but gone by 5:44 a.m.

  • Smook arrived in Hollywood on Saturday.
  • The box containing the puppets and props was noticed missing on Monday.

The players

Jackie Smook

The creator of a touring children's puppet show who had thousands of dollars worth of puppets and props stolen from her apartment in the Hollywood Hills.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Law enforcement is now trying to locate the stolen items and hopefully they're able to find all of it. How do you hide unique puppets? That would be difficult to do. The Hollywood community is hopeful they can come together to help Smook track down her stolen belongings.

The takeaway

This unusual crime targeting specialized items like puppets and props highlights the challenges faced by artists and creators in protecting their life's work. The Hollywood community is rallying to support Smook and recover the stolen items, demonstrating the importance of community collaboration in addressing such incidents.