Prime Suspects Caught With $1M In Stolen Lego Sets Bound For Inland Empire: Police

INLAND EMPIRE, CA — Two semi-truck trailers full of stolen Lego sets bound for Riverside County were recovered this week in Kern County, the sheriff's department shared.

Deputies from Kern County arrested three Inland Empire residents on suspicion of committing the crime, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Department, Mojave Station.

Jose Lopez, 37 of San Bernardino; Ruben Lopez Flores, 25 of Los Angeles, and Freddy Hernandez Polinar, 35 of Chino, were all placed under arrest. They are being held on multiple felony charges, including possession of a stolen vehicle, cargo theft and conspiracy.

Further information on the suspect's current location and court appearances was not immediately disclosed.

On April 8, deputies responded to the 400 block of Silver Queen Road after witnesses reported suspicious vehicles in the area. Two box trucks attempted to flee when deputies arrived to conduct traffic stops. Both were halted and searched.

Deputies discovered a large amount of Lego products inside the vehicle. They located two freight trailers and learned they had been stolen while in transit from Fort Worth, Texas, to Moreno Valley in Riverside County.

"Further details regarding the destination of the trailer are still being investigated and will not be released," Public Information Officer Lori Meza told Patch.

Investigators have affirmed that the stolen Lego sets were bound for Moreno Valley and were not headed to a Lego Store, she said. It was not immediately revealed whether the full number of stolen Lego sets was on board or if any were missing from the manifest.

This is not the first time stolen Lego has been connected to Riverside County.

In March, $10,000 worth of Lego sets and other toys were found as part of an organized retail theft ring in Hemet. Authorities confirmed that a Swap Meet booth operator was "actively purchasing stolen goods from multiple individuals and reselling them for a profit," according to the Hemet Police Department.

Recovered items from that incident included Star Wars-themed sets, Lego Friends sets, Duplo Legos, Technic sets, numerous race cars and Hotwheels, as well as boxed Disney princess dolls, Funko Pop dolls, and power tools.

Hemet Police Chief Michael Arellano spoke on the operation and the March arrest.

“This operation sends a clear message that organized retail theft will not be tolerated in the City of Hemet. By recovering this stolen merchandise and returning it to our local businesses, we are not only holding offenders accountable but also helping to reduce the financial impact these crimes have on our business partners,” Arellano said. "The Hemet Police Department remains committed to protecting local businesses and consumers from the impacts of retail crime."

It is unclear if the two crimes were related.

Related:

$10K Lego, Toy Bust In RivCo 'Part Of Organized Theft Ring' Hemet