ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Albuquerque police say they recently made arrests in two separate theft rings involving stolen Lego sets, one of which included an employee with the department. The cases highlight what experts in the Lego resale community describe as a growing black market fueled by high‑value collectors and quick-cash resale schemes.
Police say the two investigations involved people stealing Lego sets from retail stores and reselling them for a fraction of their original value. While Lego theft isn’t often in the headlines, longtime collectors and resellers say the market for rare sets can make them a target for organized theft.
At Big Brother’s Bricks in Rio Rancho, co‑owner John Sillett says his team sees the issue firsthand.
His shop buys, sells, and trades sets, sometimes tracking down specific requests that date back decades.
“We get some wild requests. Can I get a set from 1978? Can I get a castle from my childhood? The answer is yes. We can find and acquire any set that you’re looking for,” he said.
Sillett says the store has strict procedures to avoid unknowingly buying stolen merchandise.
“We do check IDs. If they don’t provide ID or justify the reason they’re selling when they could take it back to the original purchase location and get full value, that immediately sets off alarm bells,” he said.
He says another red flag is when someone brings in large quantities of sets that are still widely available at retail.
“If they’re not a typical customer, or they have a large amount of still‑available‑at‑retail sets, that’s a warning sign that there might be something going on,” Sillett said.
Some sets, especially rare or vintage ones, can be worth thousands.
“The most expensive Lego set we’ve come across would be Star Wars Cloud City. It runs about $10–15,000 per set. The boxes they come in can run $1,000, just for the box,” Sillett said.
With that kind of value, he says it’s no surprise thieves try to cash in.
Sillett warns buyers to be cautious when a deal seems too good to be true.
“If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. And if you have any questions on whether it’s authentic Lego, you’re more than welcome to come here and we’ll check it for you,” he said.
He added that just last week, someone attempted to sell the store stolen sets—a reminder of how frequently the issue comes up.
Sillett recommends buying from reputable sellers and Lego focused stores to avoid ending up with counterfeit or stolen products.
