There's probably got to be a million ways someone can realistically steal—from brazen theft to sneaky tactics. But none are more creative than this alleged crook, who has been accused of a refund scam unlike anything else. And the weirdest part? It involves dry pasta.
As reported by MSN, Jarrelle Augustine has been arrested after he allegedly stole $34,000 worth of Lego. But this isn't your ordinary affair. He didn't just walk out of the store with the box. He got his money back, too.
And he used dry pasta to mimic the weight and sound of Lego pieces rustling in the boxes. Augustine allegedly performed the wild scheme over 70 times over a period of months. It's a pretty crafty idea, to be fair to him. Buy the box, open it, replace the coveted Lego pieces with dry pasta, reseal the box, and refund. And then, arguably the most profitable part—sell the pieces on the secondary black market.
Police have linked Augustine to Lego thefts across the country—not only in Target stores across California, but also thefts in states like Texas, Tennessee, New Jersey, and Florida.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The Alleged Thefts Targeted Popular Branded Lego Sets
Videos released by the Irvine Police Department show pictures of the inside of Augustine's apartment. It was apparently filled to the brim with neatly sectioned-out Lego bags, with minifigures sorted by brand. Augustine also allegedly targeted the more lucrative sets, like Marvel and Star Wars.
Ziggy Azarcon, an Irvine police officer, reported to a local news outlet that the specific sets he sold "have a very high value on the secondary market."
The Irvine Police Department was quick to jab at the nature of the alleged crime after Augustine was charged with grand theft. They also posted an admittedly very funny statement on
They said, "If your master plan involves swapping LEGOs for linguine, we can promise your plan will be cooked al dente." Police also added that his scheme was "a bad build" which didn't "hold together."
What an interesting case. We hope that anyone who bought the pasta-ridden Lego sets can build up the courage to get a replacement.
