A group of masked thieves made off with approximately $7,000, or P397,250, worth of popular Labubu dolls from a toy store in La Puente, California.
Local authorities said that the incident took place early Wednesday morning at a store about 18 miles east of Los Angeles.
In an Instagram post, toy vendor One Stop Shop shared surveillance footage showing four individuals in hoodies and masks breaking into the establishment.
The suspects are seen taking boxes and shuffling through items before leaving the premises.
“They took all of our inventory [and] trashed our store[.] We are still in shock,” the store’s post read, as it urged the public to help find the suspects.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the suspects used a stolen Toyota Tacoma during the incident, which was recovered shortly afterward.
The investigation is still ongoing.
Labubu is a character from The Monsters toy series created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung. It is mainly sold by the Chinese vinyl toy brand POP MART, a brand known for its “blind box” collectibles. Characterized by their unique designs and bright colors, these charms often feature cute animal figures, whimsical characters, or abstract shapes.
These plush accessories can be attached to handbags, backpacks, or even keychains, with prices ranging from P600 to a whopping P11,000, based on the POP MART website in the Philippines.
Pop Mart’s first-ever pop-up store opened in the country last November 2024 at Level 2, North Entertainment Mall at the SM Mall of Asia, with figurines such as the popular Labubu, Hirono, CRYBABY, and more on shelves.
Several celebrities in the Philippines and worldwide have been bitten by the Labubu craze, including Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, Bretman Rock, BLACKPINK’s Lisa, Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa, and Rihanna.