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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
Man and child playing with expensive Lego sets at home, as cheating ex-wife's boyfriend steals and gets arrested.
Opened expensive Lego sets showing damage, related to stealing incident involving cheating ex-wife's boyfriend arrest.
Expensive Lego sets displayed on a table with packaging, related to a theft by cheating ex-wife's boyfriend.
List of expensive Lego sets including Kings Castle, Milk truck, Lego train, Carousel, and Star Wars snow speeder stolen by cheating ex-wife's boyfriend.
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Text explaining the value loss when one piece of a larger expensive Lego set is missing, related to a theft case.
Expensive Lego sets stolen by cheating ex-wife’s boyfriend, who gets arrested, shown alongside police and Lego boxes.
Text image with the phrase explaining confusion between ex-wife and boyfriend, related to cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing Lego sets.
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Man surrounded by Lego sets, representing cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and facing arrest.
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Text message apology discussing selling expensive Lego sets to help son with college costs, not scalping or theft involved.
Text of a police report describing a statement given about a cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and being arrested.
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Stacks of expensive Lego train sets displayed in boxes, linked to cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing incident.
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.
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“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.
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
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Collection of expensive Lego sets displayed on a stand, linked to cheating ex-wife's boyfriend theft and arrest.
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.
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.
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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.
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
Reddit discussion about cheating ex-wife’s boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and subsequent police involvement.
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Online conversation about cheating ex-wife’s boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and issues with replacement of rare pieces.
Most readers were on the Lego collector’s side. Here’s what they told him
Comments discussing a cheating ex-wife’s boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and the resulting dispute over living arrangements.
Online discussion about cheating ex-wife’s boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and the consequences he faced including arrest.
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Reddit conversation about cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and the legal consequences involved.
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Text conversation discussing cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets, causing loss of value and legal trouble.
Comments discussing a cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and the resulting arrest.
Online discussion about cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and the consequences he faced.
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Online forum conversation discussing the oddity of gluing Lego sets, related to cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing incident.
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Reddit user discusses stolen expensive Lego sets by cheating ex-wife's boyfriend and legal options in text conversation.
Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about a cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and the legal dispute that followed.
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Reddit discussion about expensive Lego sets stolen by cheating ex-wife’s boyfriend and the value of the stolen items.
Reddit users discuss the value and theft of expensive Lego sets linked to cheating ex-wife's boyfriend case.
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Screenshot of a discussion about a cheating ex-wife's boyfriend stealing expensive Lego sets and facing legal consequences.
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Comment screenshot showing a user calling the stepdad a thief who blatantly stole from the home and advising to sue him.
Screenshot of an online comment discussing theft of expensive Lego sets by cheating ex-wife’s boyfriend and its consequences.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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?
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).
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?
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