An Australian man is facing theft charges after police uncovered a significant trove of Lego and toys worth $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 noted that the operation involves shops teaming up with police to catch alleged thieves, targeting repeat offenders as well as those who threaten violence while stealing.
As the stolen items were believed to be bound for online sales, police urged consumers to avoid purchasing cheap goods from the internet. This type of theft is not victimless, De Candia warned. Those who purchase cheap goods from online sites are unwittingly facilitating this crime and we would urge them to consider this.
Police indicated that the operation has contributed to a recent drop in shop thefts in South Australia, with approximately 2,500 arrests made.
Globally, retail crime has surged in recent years, with a survey revealing that reports of customer theft in the UK rose by 3.7 million to 20.4 million in the 12 months to September 2024, costing retailers an estimated £2 billion.
