Here's something you might be interested in.
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen — Movie commentary
Blurt — Music's inside track
Booze News — San Diego spirits
Classical Music — Immortal beauty
Classifieds — Free and easy
Close to Home — What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories — Front-page features
Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast! — Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories — Local news & stories
Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives — Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams — Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters — Our inbox
Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news
News Ticker — News & politics
Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry — The old and the new
Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers
Reading — The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT — Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats — Places of worship
Special Issues — The best of
Street Style — San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater — On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week — Daily event picks
Watch Labubu doll get stolen in Escondido
Demon dolls in pajamas inspire thieves and counterfeiters
Escondido theft in progress
On June 1, two men walked into Junot Ignacio's family toy store in Escondido and stole a rare Labubu doll—similar ones currently selling online for more than $1,000. The plush in question, a Labubu x Pronounce – Wings of Fantasy edition dressed in dark denim and purple sunglasses, is part of the latest blind-box craze captivating toy collectors across San Diego and beyond. These big-eyed dolls by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung have become a phenomenon, thanks to TikTok unboxings, limited drops, and celebrity sightings—where you see Labubus clipped onto purses, backpacks, and rearview mirrors. But now, the mischievous-looking figures are creeping into police reports.
In Ignacio’s 49-second Wyze video posted online, one man in dark clothes and a gray hat approaches a 6-foot glass display case, while his accomplice—wearing a tan long-sleeve shirt—enters from the opposite side. One man reaches atop the case and grabs the Labubu plush – a similar one is listed on eBay for $1,336.81 – as the other approaches with seemingly empty shopping bags. After the quick snatch-and-load, the man in tan calmly walks away while his partner straightens the remaining toys to make it look like nothing is missing. Ignacio shared the clip on Facebook with the caption: “Looking for these two scumbags who shoplifted a very expensive piece at our toy store at Escondido mall. This theft has been reported to the police and waiting for further investigations. Case #25005041.”
Reports of stolen dolls on Instagram
While Ignacio’s case may be the first filmed and reported Labubu-related theft in San Diego County, it’s far from the only strange incident tied to the skyrocketing demand for these limited-edition toys. Across the country – and increasingly here in Southern California—the Labubu frenzy has fueled a string of oddball crimes, heated confrontations, and resale drama.
Downtown toy collector Missa B. says she’s noticed the uptick in Labubu-fueled tension online. “My niece has them,” she said in a recent interview. “They go online and get on a waitlist or lotto. Then they get a text notification saying they can buy one. Then they hurry up and accept the offer.”
The sought-after Labubu x Pronounce – Wings of Fantasy doll
It’s a system reminiscent of Comic-Con International ticket drops, where hopeful buyers queue online and wait until their number is picked. Once approved, they’re directed to vending-machine-style kiosks like the one at La Jolla UTC—one of the few physical places in the county where Labubu dolls can be bought. “But people are getting mad,” Missa said, referring to what some collectors now call the 2025 “demon dolls in pajamas.” “There’s no limit. One guy bought 14 all at once. Everyone wants to get one—especially the keychains.”
The smaller versions, often clipped to designer handbags or dangling atop car dashboards, have become prime targets for thieves. “Funny how crazes happen out of the blue,” Missa added. “And parents have to pay or trip out because their precious son — or mostly daughters — like these weird things.”
Reports of stolen Labubu dolls are flooding social media and collector forums—some from right here in San Diego County. “So sad this morning as I went to my car to find my window smashed in and my new Love Labubu stolen,” one Redditor wrote. “What makes it worse is he was cut from his tag so the ring still stood on my mirror. My only Labubu—TAKEN. Be careful displaying your Labubus anywhere. People really (really) want them.”
On TikTok, similar stories are going viral. One user posted a video showing her empty purse after someone allegedly swiped her Labubu keychain during a night out. “POV: You take your Labubu out to the club ONCE and now it’s gone,” her overlay text reads. The comments are packed of other Labubu lovers who say they’ve had their dolls stolen in similar ways.
The scarcity—and sky-high resale prices — have also drawn bootleggers. Fake versions, called by collectors as “Lafufus,” are circulating on platforms like Temu, OfferUp and even at local flea markets, catching unsuspecting San Diego parents off guard. “Even swap meets have them,” Missa added. “Some may be knockoffs too.” In response, groups like Labubu Lover & Collector have popped up online, where San Diegans share tips on spotting fakes and report local scams—some involving losses in the hundreds of dollars.
Even college students aren’t immune. Earlier this month, a UC San Diego student posted on Reddit: “Has anyone seen a cream-colored, sitting down Labubu?”
And just north of San Diego, in Orange County, the craze has even brought in pro burglars. On June 3 — just days after the Escondido heist — a group broke into The Makeup Shack in Orange, targeting their Labubu dolls. According to ABC7, the thieves rammed the storefront and stole several of the dolls along with cash, a safe, electronics, and even a pair of Yeezys sneakers.
There’s one group that hasn’t embraced the Labubu craze: “Religious groups think they are of Satan,” Missa concluded.
As this article goes to print, the $1,000-plus Labubu stolen from Escondido remains missing.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Watch Labubu doll get stolen in Escondido
Demon dolls in pajamas inspire thieves and counterfeiters
Watch Labubu doll get stolen in Escondido
Demon dolls in pajamas inspire thieves and counterfeiters
Escondido theft in progress
On June 1, two men walked into Junot Ignacio's family toy store in Escondido and stole a rare Labubu doll—similar ones currently selling online for more than $1,000. The plush in question, a Labubu x Pronounce – Wings of Fantasy edition dressed in dark denim and purple sunglasses, is part of the latest blind-box craze captivating toy collectors across San Diego and beyond. These big-eyed dolls by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung have become a phenomenon, thanks to TikTok unboxings, limited drops, and celebrity sightings—where you see Labubus clipped onto purses, backpacks, and rearview mirrors. But now, the mischievous-looking figures are creeping into police reports.
In Ignacio’s 49-second Wyze video posted online, one man in dark clothes and a gray hat approaches a 6-foot glass display case, while his accomplice—wearing a tan long-sleeve shirt—enters from the opposite side. One man reaches atop the case and grabs the Labubu plush – a similar one is listed on eBay for $1,336.81 – as the other approaches with seemingly empty shopping bags. After the quick snatch-and-load, the man in tan calmly walks away while his partner straightens the remaining toys to make it look like nothing is missing. Ignacio shared the clip on Facebook with the caption: “Looking for these two scumbags who shoplifted a very expensive piece at our toy store at Escondido mall. This theft has been reported to the police and waiting for further investigations. Case #25005041.”
Reports of stolen dolls on Instagram
While Ignacio’s case may be the first filmed and reported Labubu-related theft in San Diego County, it’s far from the only strange incident tied to the skyrocketing demand for these limited-edition toys. Across the country – and increasingly here in Southern California—the Labubu frenzy has fueled a string of oddball crimes, heated confrontations, and resale drama.
Downtown toy collector Missa B. says she’s noticed the uptick in Labubu-fueled tension online. “My niece has them,” she said in a recent interview. “They go online and get on a waitlist or lotto. Then they get a text notification saying they can buy one. Then they hurry up and accept the offer.”
The sought-after Labubu x Pronounce – Wings of Fantasy doll
It’s a system reminiscent of Comic-Con International ticket drops, where hopeful buyers queue online and wait until their number is picked. Once approved, they’re directed to vending-machine-style kiosks like the one at La Jolla UTC—one of the few physical places in the county where Labubu dolls can be bought. “But people are getting mad,” Missa said, referring to what some collectors now call the 2025 “demon dolls in pajamas.” “There’s no limit. One guy bought 14 all at once. Everyone wants to get one—especially the keychains.”
The smaller versions, often clipped to designer handbags or dangling atop car dashboards, have become prime targets for thieves. “Funny how crazes happen out of the blue,” Missa added. “And parents have to pay or trip out because their precious son — or mostly daughters — like these weird things.”
Reports of stolen Labubu dolls are flooding social media and collector forums—some from right here in San Diego County. “So sad this morning as I went to my car to find my window smashed in and my new Love Labubu stolen,” one Redditor wrote. “What makes it worse is he was cut from his tag so the ring still stood on my mirror. My only Labubu—TAKEN. Be careful displaying your Labubus anywhere. People really (really) want them.”
On TikTok, similar stories are going viral. One user posted a video showing her empty purse after someone allegedly swiped her Labubu keychain during a night out. “POV: You take your Labubu out to the club ONCE and now it’s gone,” her overlay text reads. The comments are packed of other Labubu lovers who say they’ve had their dolls stolen in similar ways.
The scarcity—and sky-high resale prices — have also drawn bootleggers. Fake versions, called by collectors as “Lafufus,” are circulating on platforms like Temu, OfferUp and even at local flea markets, catching unsuspecting San Diego parents off guard. “Even swap meets have them,” Missa added. “Some may be knockoffs too.” In response, groups like Labubu Lover & Collector have popped up online, where San Diegans share tips on spotting fakes and report local scams—some involving losses in the hundreds of dollars.
Even college students aren’t immune. Earlier this month, a UC San Diego student posted on Reddit: “Has anyone seen a cream-colored, sitting down Labubu?”
And just north of San Diego, in Orange County, the craze has even brought in pro burglars. On June 3 — just days after the Escondido heist — a group broke into The Makeup Shack in Orange, targeting their Labubu dolls. According to ABC7, the thieves rammed the storefront and stole several of the dolls along with cash, a safe, electronics, and even a pair of Yeezys sneakers.
There’s one group that hasn’t embraced the Labubu craze: “Religious groups think they are of Satan,” Missa concluded.
As this article goes to print, the $1,000-plus Labubu stolen from Escondido remains missing.
Comments