How thieves are targeting new collectable toys dubbed ‘JellyCats 2.0’ in £150k heists as UK becomes toy crime hotbed
TRENDY soft toys dubbed the “Jellycat 2.0” are being swiped from unaware fans’ bags, cars and even lorries – with some buyers turning a blind eye when the plushies are resold online.
The teddies became viral after celebrities like OIivia Attwood posted about their love for the grinning little monsters.
Adults and children around the world are vying to get their mitts on the popular Labubu toys. Videos posted on TikTok show massive queues at PopMart shops as crowds try to buy their favourite type of the colourful toy.
Many have been tricked into splashing out on toys that they later discovered were fake – leading to the term “Lafufu”.
And those who do manage to get an authentic teddy have been warned to keep an eye out for thieves as a soft-toy crime wave has gripped the country at an industrial scale.
However some post looking for a Lafufu because they think the quirky dolls are cuter than the originals.
Experts told The Sun that thieves think they are less likely to get caught stealing toys compared to more high value items like jewellery.
TOY SNATCHING PHENOMENON
Criminology Professor Emmeline Taylor, from St George’s University of London, said that online marketplaces like Vinted and eBay have become a “hotbed” for thieves to resell stolen plushies .
This way the buyer is more likely to “turn a blind eye if the price is right”.
She said the “phenomenon” of soft toys like Jellycats and Labubu being stolen is in part because they are often sold in shops that normally don’t need high levels of security.
“This has created an opportunity for thieves who feel that there is little chance of apprehension or later detection,” she said.
“Goods that are stolen to sell on typically attract between a third to half of the retail value. So, something with an RRP of £10 will sell for between £3 and £5.
“However, the popularity of Jellycats and similar toys means they often command more than the RRP.
“The marketing strategy of the brand often creates surges in demand for particular toys, those that are limited edition or have been discontinued, and that makes them more attractive to thieves.
“There are examples of individual toys worth approx. £20 selling for hundreds of pounds on online marketplaces.
“These online spaces have become a hotbed for thieves to sell on as they can reach a much larger target audience and sell with relative anonymity.
“It can be difficult for buyers to ascertain if they are genuine resales or stolen goods – and some buyers might be willing to turn a blind eye if the price is right.”
But she added: “Retailers are getting much more attuned to the shifting ‘hot products’ and using tried and tested security techniques and technologies to protect products that are vulnerable to theft.”
FANS DEVASTATED AFTER TOY THEFT
Some devastated owners have posted on X to express their grief and caution others about the toy snatchers.
One said theirs was stolen just eight days after they bought it.
A X user said: “Someone jacked my Labubu from my bag. Londoners stealing my child…”
Another posted: “I’m so scared to wear my Labubu’s on my purse because I don’t want them to get stolen but also they make me look so stylish.”
A third person targeted by the teddy thieves said: “I became a Labubu victim. Someone stole my Labubu off my bag.”
One said they plan on putting an Apple AirTag on their teddy keychain once they buy it.
Others posted to ask if they should leave their beloved plushies at home if heading into the capital.
Several also warned about bringing the keychain versions to the gym, saying they were nicked off their bags as they worked out.
One even said that sneaky children keep trying to steal her toy.
A victim of the teddy snatchers posted a photo of their farmer version, writing: “RIP Mclovin, my fake Labubu, someone stole you when I wasn’t paying attention. Rest in piece.”
One wary toy owner said: “Psa that if anyone tries to steal my labubu charm from my bag I will absolutely chase after you so please keep it moving and find another victim.”
LABUBUS RESOLD FOR “THOUSANDS” ONLINE
The toys cost around £30 for a keychain version, but the full sized teddies are on the pricier end – with fans splashing out upwards of £200.
But the viral plushies are being resold on sites like eBay and Vinted for thousands of pounds, taking advantage of fans’ desperation.
The Sun found listings as high as £1,545 for one of the dolls online.
Last week, £150,000 worth of the Pop Mart toys were swiped from a lorry.
A major shipment was raided in the early hours of April 8.
The lorry in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, contained toys which were due to hit stores in May.
The theft came just a few days after £20,000 worth of Jellycat toys were also stolen in a night-time raid.
The Gorge Bear Company in Cheddar, Somerset, was brutally ram-raided by at least two thieves at around 4.40am.
A TikToker recently posted on the platform after their car was smashed by the toy snatchers.
In a slideshow of pictures on TikTok, they showed how their car had been violently broken into just so the thieves could nab the three Labubus they could see inside
“NEVER leave a Labubu in your car,” they wrote over the snaps, revealing the incident had taken place at the Westfield Valley Fair Mall in San Jose, California.
In the caption, they explained: “We lost our Labubu Hehe, from the Have a Seat series, What a Frog from the Cry Again series, and the blue Crybaby from the Cheer Up series.”
The three toys are worth around a combined £128.
“We also had a little seat that was hanging from the AC vent that we would sit the Labubu on and they ripped that off as well leaving scratches and chips on my vents,” they said.
After returning to their car and discovering the break in and theft, they spoke to security guards at the shopping centre, who told them “they will investigate but ONLY if the police are involved they’ll release the footage”.
Following that, the Labubu mega fan called and filed a police report, after which officers arrived to take down more information and take pictures.
“I mentioned to them that mall security was already working on the investigation and that they would only release footage if they brought it to their attention,” the caption continued.
“I tried to get them to do something right at that moment but I guess it wasn’t that important to them.”
They concluded by saying it’s “absurd” that customers at the shopping precinct can’t “have a sense of security” over their belongings in their vehicles as they shop.
“In the end nothing was done by the police or mall security,” they sighed.
“I had to go through insurance and was forced to pay my deductible.
“Luckily someone was nice enough to replace our lost Hehe, as for the Crybabies we can always re-purchase them.”