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“It Would Take Their House Down Payment Plus More”: Man Sues Ex-Wife’s Boyfriend For Stealing His Lego Sets
Man and boy playing with expensive Lego sets on wooden floor in modern home interior setting.

“It Would Take Their House Down Payment Plus More”: Man Sues Ex-Wife’s Boyfriend For Stealing His Lego Sets

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Anyone raised in a decent family knows that you must respect other people’s property and resources. But unfortunately, some adults never got that lesson. Theft is theft, no matter if you’re talking about cash, electronics, jewelry, or… LEGO.

An avid LEGO collector asked the internet to weigh in on a brazen robbery that happened in his home, which led him to sue both his ex and her new boyfriend. According to him, the entitled man broke into his home and stole his old, expensive LEGO sets, which were worth more than the couple had in their savings account. You’ll find the full story and the internet’s verdicts below.

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    Some people love building with LEGO, others use it as a way to bond with their kids, while still others collect sets as investments

    Image credits: mstandret / Envato (not the actual photo)

    This man shared how we went to court after his son’s stepdad broke into his home and stole some old LEGO sets worth lots of money

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    Image credits: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

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    Image credits: Corona_Cyrus / Reddit (not the actual photo)

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    Image credits: 666bandit / Reddit (not the actual photo)

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    Image credits: leggomylego75389263

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    Some LEGO sets can be worth a ton of money, depending on how rare, exclusive, and old they are

    Image credits: Guitrum / Reddit (not the actual photo)

    To repeat ourselves, a theft is a theft, no matter what was taken. Collectible toys can be worth massive amounts of money. And older, rarer LEGO sets can be incredibly pricey.

    According to Bright My Bricks, the distribution exclusivity of a LEGO set is the most influential factor when it comes to its rarity, followed by limited production and set age.

    “Exclusive sets like those distributed during LEGO Inside Tours or specialized conventions achieve the highest valuations precisely because they’re never sold to the general public. These ultra-limited editions, produced in quantities ranging from 50 to 200 pieces, instantly become sought-after collectibles,” Bright My Bricks explains.

    In the meantime, the preservation condition of your set directly influences its market value. For instance, the price difference between a sealed set and a used one can reach a whopping 70%. As a rule of thumb, collectors prioritize mint sealed sets, with the original packaging intact and unapplied stickers.

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    Furthermore, the completeness of a set is also essential. Even a single missing piece can crater a set’s value. “Exclusive minifigures, printed elements, and rare pieces contribute disproportionately to a set’s overall valuation.”

    There are lots of websites out there that offer advice about what old LEGO sets are worth, what minifigures are trending, what upcoming sets might be worth ‘investing in,’ etc. LEGO is big business.

    Not every ‘investment’ in collectible toys will pan out. It’s still risky

    Image credits: Queen_of_the_Abyss / Reddit (not the actual photo)

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    The worth of a collectible toy can depend on a wide variety of factors. For instance, its price can be affected by its rarity, how hard it is to find, whether it’s going out of production, whether it’s a limited collection item, whether or not the packaging has been opened, whether there’s any damage, what nostalgic pop culture themes are currently trending in society, etc.

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    On top of that, if you find the right buyer, they might be willing to be even more generous. That being said, remember to take inflation into account: yes, the price might be higher, but the purchasing power of your currency may have dropped significantly over the years, too. And not every collectible ‘investment’ will pan out the way that you want it to.

    You might get super lucky, but the odds are that you probably won’t. Some items will never be as rare and in-demand as you’d like. Or you might not get your hands on those super-exclusive items that everyone is craving.

    What’s more, if you collect everything and anything hoping to get lucky, you might end up hurting your finances and filling your home with junk. And that’s no way to live.

    Instead, you should collect what you’re genuinely passionate about. For one, this brings you joy. Moreover, when you’re passionate about a subject, you want to dive deeper and learn more about it. So, you end up learning what items are rare, what’s worth more, etc. You may end up deciding to sell some small parts of your collection. Or you might keep everything because you care more about your collection than making a quick buck.

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    What are your thoughts, dear Pandas? How would you react to someone you know stealing part of your collection, no matter what it was? Would you go as far as taking them to court? How do you protect your boundaries from entitled people? What do you collect and why? Do you enjoy building and playing with LEGO, or do you see sets as more of an investment in your and your family’s future? Let us know in the comments.

    Some readers asked for more details about the bizarre situation

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    Most readers were on the Lego collector’s side. Here’s what they told him

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    Not everyone was on the same page. Some people called the man out

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    After some time, the Lego collector came back to share an update with his supporters

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    Image credits: leggomylego75389263

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    Jonas Grinevičius

    Jonas Grinevičius

    Writer, Senior Writer

    Read more »

    Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real.At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design.In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle.I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

    Read less »
    Jonas Grinevičius

    Jonas Grinevičius

    Writer, Senior Writer

    Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real.At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design.In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle.I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

    Read less »

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Mindaugas Balčiauskas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

    Jonas Žvilius

    Jonas Žvilius

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    In my spare time, I enjoy creating art - both in traditional and digital form, mainly in the form of painting and animation. Other interests include gaming and music. Favorite bands include Swans, The Strokes, The Beatles.

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    Jonas Žvilius

    Jonas Žvilius

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    In my spare time, I enjoy creating art - both in traditional and digital form, mainly in the form of painting and animation. Other interests include gaming and music. Favorite bands include Swans, The Strokes, The Beatles.

    What do you think ?
    Mike F
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Often people think of Lego sets as toys, but some also think that way about a Shelby Cobra and those babies are worth some big bucks. The point is, it's not what the item is, it's the item's worth. OP had the intention of using the sets to fund his son's college education. Probably not what the step fathers intention was when stealing the set(s).

    Janelle Collard
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    OP did the right thing. Also taught his son that it doesn't matter who you are, if you steal something, you will get arrested. This is 5 years old. Wonder how it all turned out?

    Littlemiss
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Theft is theft. He entered someone else's home after being asked not to. He stole from the owner and then deliberately opened up the boxes destroying the value. I would be livid. I don't collect things like that, but I understand the importance for others.

    Load More Comments
    Mike F
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Often people think of Lego sets as toys, but some also think that way about a Shelby Cobra and those babies are worth some big bucks. The point is, it's not what the item is, it's the item's worth. OP had the intention of using the sets to fund his son's college education. Probably not what the step fathers intention was when stealing the set(s).

    Janelle Collard
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    OP did the right thing. Also taught his son that it doesn't matter who you are, if you steal something, you will get arrested. This is 5 years old. Wonder how it all turned out?

    Littlemiss
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Theft is theft. He entered someone else's home after being asked not to. He stole from the owner and then deliberately opened up the boxes destroying the value. I would be livid. I don't collect things like that, but I understand the importance for others.

    Load More Comments
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