LEGO black market in SoCal explodes, theft sounds very sophisticated

The huge demand for LEGO and sky-high prices at retail stores are creating a growing black market in Southern California, where thieves go to great lengths to steal LEGO from stores.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ…thief gangs are breaking into retailers like Target, Barnes & Noble and Walmart and stealing everything LEGO-related, and the crimes are getting more sophisticated every day.

This isn’t a smash-and-grab job… we’re told some of the teams powering LEGOs are now using counter-surveillance technology, in addition to getaway drivers and lookouts.

Once the thieves make off with the LEGOs, our sources say they turn around and sell them to fences (people who deal in stolen goods) and the LEGOs are then sold on websites like eBay, Facebook and OfferUp.

As we reported, there was a large LEGO bust in SoCal earlier this month… when police discovered nearly 3,000 boxes of LEGO toy sets, resulting in 2 arrests… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

If you haven’t been to the toy section lately, LEGO prices are higher than ever… a key factor in the explosion of the LEGO black market.

Things are getting so crazy that we’re told billboards are now sending thieves shopping lists full of popular LEGO sets… and crime has become a major source of income.

Meanwhile, our sources say some stolen LEGOs are being sold at swap meets… and others are even being shipped overseas.

Another factor causing LEGO theft rings to grow… most Southern California police departments are short-staffed and our sources say violent crimes are taking priority over stolen toys.

We’re told LEGO is working with law enforcement to combat the black market, but it’s unclear to what degree and capacity.