- Anything for the precious Labubus, right?
Have you heard of Labubu? You probably have, considering how insanely popular the strange Chinese character has become.
Labubu is a grinning, sharp-toothed mascot that has quickly become a worldwide sensation. From keychains to sticker, it seems some folks just can’t get enough of Labubu.
Some are even ready to commit crimes for them.
Recently, a Los Angeles novelty store experienced the negative effects of the Labubu craze the hard way. A group of thieves broke into the store overnight and made off with a valuable haul.
They didn’t grab just cash from the register, though. Instead, they stole the store’s entire inventory of Labubu dolls.
Put together, the Labubus are worth an estimated $7,000. To add insult to injury, the criminals completely wrecked the store, which pushed the total damages to tens of thousands of dollars.
That’s a hefty price tag for a bunch of ugly-cute Chinese dolls.
Grab and Smash
The burgled store is called One Stop Sales. Looking at their website, the store seems to do a large part of their sales online, but they do have a physical store at a small shopping center in La Puente, just outside of Los Angeles.
Well, of course they must have a physical store. How could it have been broken into otherwise?
One Stop Sales posted a security camera video of the robbery on their Instagram page. The video, dated on the night of August 6, shows four men breaking into the store.
The video begins with the sound of breaking glass, accompanied by shards flying inward from the front door. Shortly afterward, people wearing masks and baggy hooded sweaters enter the store.
They begin grabbing boxes of Labubu merchandise off the shelves, carrying it outside as they empty the retail space. Once they’ve gotten everything, they move to the storage area in the back.
While it’s not shown on the video, One Stop Sales added that the burglars also vandalized the store in their wake.
“Today we got robbed, and they took all of our inventory [and] trashed our store,” One Stop Sales wrote in the Instagram post.
“We are still in shock,” they added.
According to several news outlets, the stolen Labubus are worth around $7,000 based on their retail price. However, all the damaged property and equipment at the store is estimated to push the total price tag of the robbery to somewhere in the ballpark of $30,000.
International Craze
That’s one heck of a stunt to pull for some stuffed toys. What is it about these Labubu things that drives people insane?
Well, the story of Labubu is strange enough that it almost warrants its own Oddee article. Labubu itself is a little gremlin with a furry body, rabbit-like long ears, and—its most distinguishing feature—a wide, toothy grin.
The Labubu character was designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung in 2015. It was later picked up for exclusive distribution by Pop Mart, a Chinese toy company known for selling collectable figurines in blind boxes (sealed boxes that make it impossible to know which figurine you’re actually buying).
Labubu toys come in all shapes and sizes, from small stickers to enormous plushies. However, they broke to international fame in 2024 after K-pop star Lisa Manobal was seen with a Labubu keychain hanging off her back.
That got the bandwagon rolling and Labubu toys exploded in popularity. Similarly to Beanie Babies in the ‘80s and ‘90s, people have been physically fighting over the toys to the point that Pop Mart had to pause Labubu toy sales in the U.K. this summer.
The Demonic ‘Bubu
Indeed, the Labubu craze hasn’t been without its critics. Some have lambasted the dolls as being the embodiment of pointless conspicuous consumption, but there have been other, more bizarre claims as well.
For instance, Russian lawmakers have proposed banning Labubus in the country (despite Russia’s declaration of “everlasting good-neighborliness and friendship” with China). The reasoning is that toothy critter has a “frightening appearance” that could harm Russian children’s mental health.
And then there’s the conspiracy theory that the Labubu character is actually an embodiment of the ancient Babylonian and Assyrian demon Pazuzu (whom you may remember for playing the role of the possessing demon in The Exorcist). From Pakistan to Iraq and the U.S., faithful have boycotted and protested against the evils of Labubu.
That’s a lot of hubbub over a little doll that’s honestly pretty butt-ugly.