Two Texas residents, Brian Fleming and Ladarion Anderson, are facing serious charges after allegedly stealing over $400,000 worth of Lego sets from stores across multiple states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, and Florida.
The crime ring, which investigators believe involved up to 10 people, was uncovered in October 2022. According to a Smith County affidavit, Fleming and Anderson are accused of using an elaborate scheme to steal Lego sets. The thefts date back to 2021 and involved entering stores, purchasing inexpensive items with credit or debit cards, and obtaining receipts for these small purchases. They would then alter the receipts to make it appear as if they had bought expensive Lego sets. The duo would return to the store (but not as the same individuals) and grab the pricey Lego sets, walking out without paying. If confronted, they would show the modified receipt as proof of payment.
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In addition to the stolen Lego sets, investigators discovered 19 stolen Cricut machines in one suspect’s vehicle. Cricut machines are popular devices used for cutting or drawing on materials like paper, cardstock, or vinyl. The discovery of the stolen machines, along with invoices linking Fleming to purchasing illegal goods, led authorities to identify the extent of the crime ring.
Once they had stolen the Lego sets, the pair would resell them at discounted prices on eBay or Amazon.
Fleming and Anderson are both facing charges of theft over $300,000 and engaging in organized crime. Fleming is being held on a $1.1 million bond in the Smith County jail, while Anderson’s bond is set at $1.14 million in the Tarrant County Corrections Center.
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