What started as a quiet Wednesday morning in La Puente quickly turned into a nightmare for a small family-owned toy shop.
A crew of masked burglars made off with an estimated $30,000 worth of rare and highly sought-after Labubu dolls in a lightning-fast smash-and-grab burglary.
For co-owner Joanna Avendano, the loss was more than just merchandise — it was months of hard work wiped away in minutes.
Targeting the Store’s Most Valuable Items
The break-in happened just after 1:29 a.m. at One Stop Sales, a boutique well-known in the community for stocking the viral plush monster dolls.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, surveillance footage shows at least four masked suspects smashing through the front door.
They ignored electronics, cash registers, and other goods, heading straight for shelves lined with the collectible Labubu dolls — a move that made it clear they knew exactly what they were after.
“We’re Still in Shock”
Posting on Instagram after the burglary, the store shared heartbreaking words: “Today we got robbed, and they took all of our inventory, trashed our store. We are still in shock.”
The burglars left behind shattered glass, scattered packaging, and a sense of violation.
While the retail price of the stolen dolls totaled about $7,000, Avendano explained that their rarity and resale value pushed the actual loss closer to $30,000.
A Suspicious Truck and a Social Media Clue
Avendano, who opened the store with her family just two months ago, believes the crime was planned.
She recalls spotting a suspicious truck parked outside the night before.
The timing also seemed too perfect to be coincidence — the burglary happened shortly after she posted on social media about a restock.
“I had a gut feeling to check my phone,” she said. “When I looked, I saw motion alerts.
I was watching everything as they came in and took the boxes. I was panicking because I couldn’t do anything.”
Thieves Still at Large
Security footage shows the suspects rushing in, grabbing the dolls, and hauling them out to a white Toyota Tacoma.
Deputies later recovered the truck, but the thieves remain on the run. The investigation into the theft is ongoing.
“We just want justice,” Avendano said. “And we want our store to feel safe again.”
The Global Craze Behind Labubu Dolls
Labubu dolls, first released in China in 2015 by designer toy company Pop Mart, have exploded in popularity.
Celebrities like Rihanna, Lizzo, and BLACKPINK’s Lisa have been spotted with them.
While they sell for around $30 each, some rare editions fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Earlier this year, a life-size Labubu sold at a Beijing auction for an astonishing $170,000.
Pop Mart’s revenue doubled in 2024, hitting $1.8 billion — much of it driven by this quirky character’s fanbase.
Why They’re So Addictive to Collectors
According to marketing expert Alex DePaoli from Northeastern University, these dolls aren’t just toys — they’re fashion accessories and collector’s items.
Many are sold in “blind boxes,” meaning buyers don’t know which design they’ll get until they open it.
“It’s a system where you hope for the one you want,” DePaoli explained. “If you don’t get it, you go buy another one.
A lot of folks compare it to gambling.”
The Rise of Counterfeit ‘Lafufus’
The dolls’ popularity has also created a booming counterfeit market.
Fake versions — nicknamed “Lafufus” — are flooding social media and online resale platforms, making it harder for collectors to find authentic pieces.
For Avendano, however, the biggest challenge now isn’t competition from fakes — it’s rebuilding her shop and regaining the peace of mind stolen along with her inventory.