Police in California have arrested a suspect in a bizarre nationwide retail theft operation involving tens of thousands of dollars worth of Lego sets replaced with dried pasta.
According to the Irvine Police Department, approximately $34,000 worth of Lego products were stolen from Target stores across the United States. In several cases, the original contents of the boxes were swapped out with dried pasta before being returned to shelves.
Authorities said the scheme affected at least 70 reported thefts, all linked to a single suspect. The unusual tactic drew widespread attention after the department shared details in a pun-filled social media post, confirming that the substituted material was “durum wheat semolina pasta.”
The suspect, identified as Jarrelle Augustine, 28, from Paramount, California, was arrested on charges of grand theft and taken into custody at the Orange County Jail.
Investigators said the case came together after detectives conducted surveillance operations and tracked the pattern of thefts across multiple locations. Video evidence released by police shows the suspect removing Lego boxes from store shelves, alongside images of recovered packages filled with pasta instead of the toy sets.
The case also drew comparisons to The Lego Movie, with police referencing the film’s popular song “Everything Is Awesome!!!” in their statement, adding a humorous tone to an otherwise serious retail crime.
Authorities issued a warning to potential copycats, emphasizing that similar schemes would be pursued and prosecuted.
