‘Lego bandit’ accused in bizarre $34K scheme replacing minifigures with pasta

A California antheral allegedly cooked up a bizarre Lego theft strategy — but constabulary said it came isolated portion by piece.

Jarrelle Augustine, 28, of Paramount, is accused of buying LEGO sets from Target, removing invaluable minifigures and pieces, past returning the boxes aft filling them with dried pasta, Irvine constabulary said.

Investigators linked him to astir 70 thefts nationwide totaling astir $34,000 successful losses.

The Irving Police Department said detectives utilized surveillance to place Augustine arsenic the suspect. He was taken into custody and booked into the Orange County Jail connected expansive theft charges.

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Surveillance and assemblage camera images released by Irvine constabulary amusement Jarrelle Augustine allegedly taking Lego sets from a Target store and aboriginal being placed nether arrest. (Surveillance and assemblage camera images released by Irvine constabulary amusement Jarrelle Augustine allegedly taking Lego sets from a Target store and aboriginal being placed nether arrest.)

Police shared details of the lawsuit successful a societal media station — and added a humorous informing astir the antithetic method.

"If your maestro program involves swapping LEGOs for linguine, we tin committedness your program volition beryllium cooked al dente," Irvine constabulary said successful a Facebook post.

Video released by constabulary appears to amusement the fishy taking LEGO sets from a store support and walking out.

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Lego minifigures are shown organized successful compartments aft investigators said they were removed from retail sets successful a theft scheme. (Irvine Police Department)

The footage past shows officers placing him nether apprehension successful assemblage camera video.

The antithetic lawsuit besides drew reactions online, with immoderate societal media users leaning into the humor.

"This lawsuit had truthful galore pastabilities. Good for IPD, utilizing their noodle!" 1 commenter wrote.

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Authorities said the fishy filled Lego boxes with dried pasta to mimic the archetypal value earlier returning them arsenic portion of a theft scheme. (Irvine Police Department)

"You mean to archer maine helium was an... impasta?! I’ll spot myself out," different joked.

Others questioned the method, with 1 idiosyncratic writing, "Stealing Legos and Goya beans? WTF?"