Police in Australia have arrested a 40-year-old man accused of stealing 43 Labubu dolls worth more than US$5,400 during a string of burglaries at a Melbourne shopping center.
The toys, created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung and sold by Chinese brand Pop Mart, were seized from a property in Airport West on October 21. Among them were limited-edition figurines valued at around $300 each.
Labubu’s rise from niche art toy to global phenomenon has sparked queues, resales, and now crime. Some rare editions resell for over $1,200, while a child-sized version fetched $150,000 earlier this year.
Click through to discover how this mischievous monster became one of the world’s most coveted collectibles.