An Australian man is facing theft charges after police uncovered a significant trove of Lego and toys worth A$250,000 (£120,800; $163,400) allegedly stolen from department stores in Adelaide. About 2,500 items, including 1,700 unopened boxes of Lego, were found when South Australian police raided a Royal Park home on Saturday. The haul - which police say was going to be sold online - was the largest seized during an operation targeting retail theft in the state, and so big that extra officers were called in to help remove the loot, which filled three truck loads.
The 41-year-old man charged over the stash will appear in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on 30 September. Apart from the Lego, other stolen items included soft toys, water guns, and toy trucks with brands such as Pokémon, Barbie, Hello Kitty, and Thomas the Tank Engine. The size of the haul is significant and indicates the depth of the alleged offending, John De Candia from South Australia Police said. He mentioned that the operation aims to catch repeat offenders and those using violence when stealing.
As the stolen items were believed to be bound for online sales, police urged consumers not to buy cheap goods from the web. This type of theft is not victimless, De Candia said. Those who purchase cheap goods from online sites are unwittingly facilitating this crime and we would urge them to consider this. Police reported a drop in shop thefts in recent months in South Australia, resulting in around 2,500 arrests. Retail crime globally has surged, with a report indicating that customer theft in the UK rose by 3.7 million incidents in the last year.
The 41-year-old man charged over the stash will appear in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on 30 September. Apart from the Lego, other stolen items included soft toys, water guns, and toy trucks with brands such as Pokémon, Barbie, Hello Kitty, and Thomas the Tank Engine. The size of the haul is significant and indicates the depth of the alleged offending, John De Candia from South Australia Police said. He mentioned that the operation aims to catch repeat offenders and those using violence when stealing.
As the stolen items were believed to be bound for online sales, police urged consumers not to buy cheap goods from the web. This type of theft is not victimless, De Candia said. Those who purchase cheap goods from online sites are unwittingly facilitating this crime and we would urge them to consider this. Police reported a drop in shop thefts in recent months in South Australia, resulting in around 2,500 arrests. Retail crime globally has surged, with a report indicating that customer theft in the UK rose by 3.7 million incidents in the last year.
