California Man Arrested in $34K LEGO Theft Scheme Across 5 States

Jarrelle Augustine allegedly swapped LEGO bricks with dried pasta and returned the boxes to Target for refunds.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 7:49pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a pile of dried pasta pieces spilled out of a damaged LEGO box, creating a stark, gritty, investigative visual metaphor for the organized retail crime targeting LEGO products.A recent wave of LEGO theft and fraud schemes has forced retailers to take extra security measures, as the popular toy brand becomes an increasingly attractive target for organized crime.Charlotte Today

A 28-year-old man from Irvine, California has been arrested for allegedly running a LEGO theft scheme across five states, netting over $34,000by swapping LEGO bricks with dried pasta and returning the boxes to Target for refunds. Jarrelle Augustine is accused of targeting high-value Star Wars and Marvel LEGO sets, taking advantage of the booming secondary market for retired LEGO products.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing problem of organized retail crime targeting LEGO products, which are small, lightweight, and easily fenced due to the lack of serial numbers and high resale values on the secondary market. Retailers like Walmart have had to adapt by locking LEGO sets behind anti-theft glass cases.

The details

Police say Augustine would pour dried semolina pasta into empty $400 LEGO boxes to mimic the rattle of bricks, then return them to Target for full refunds. He's accused of carrying out this scheme across five states. Just a week before Augustine's arrest, authorities in Kern County recovered roughly $1 million worth of stolen LEGO sets from two abandoned freight trailers. Six months earlier, police in Santa Rosa busted a "systematic" LEGO fencing operation, seizing tens of thousands of loose pieces and hundreds of beheaded minifigures.

  • On April 8, Kern County deputies recovered $1 million worth of stolen LEGO sets from two abandoned freight trailers.
  • Six months before Augustine's arrest, Santa Rosa police seized a LEGO fencing operation valued at over $6,000.

The players

Jarrelle Augustine

A 28-year-old man from Irvine, California who was arrested for allegedly running a $34,000 LEGO theft scheme across five states.

Officer Ziggy Azarcon

An Irvine police officer who spoke to CBS News about Augustine's alleged crimes targeting high-value LEGO sets.

Robert Lopez

A 39-year-old man charged with organized retail theft in Santa Rosa for allegedly directing others to steal LEGO sets from Walmart and Target to resell.

Ryan Cahill

A former Wells Fargo banker in Charlotte, North Carolina who was sentenced to 6 years in prison for fencing over $100,000 worth of stolen LEGO toys.

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What they’re saying

“These were Star Wars sets and Marvel sets, which have a very high value on the secondary market.”

— Officer Ziggy Azarcon, Irvine Police Officer

What’s next

Authorities say they are continuing to investigate the growing problem of organized retail crime targeting high-value LEGO products, which are easy to steal and fence due to their small size and lack of serial numbers.

The takeaway

This case highlights the booming secondary market for LEGO products, which has fueled a rise in organized retail theft targeting the popular toy brand. Retailers are having to adapt by taking extra security measures, as LEGO sets become an increasingly attractive target for criminals looking to capitalize on their high resale values.