Melbourne Man Arrested, Dozens of Rare Labubu Dolls Worth about $9,000 Seized

The man is aged 40 and has been charged after police found 43 collectible Labubu dolls when they searched a property in the western Melbourne suburb of Airport West. The dolls, which are thought to have been stolen in a shopping centre in the CBD of Melbourne, are estimated to be worth a total of about A$9,000. 

Victoria Police said the dolls were discovered in a warrant that was conducted at a home on Webb Road. Other things confiscated included a few of the limited edition Labubu dolls, with each having a value of about A$500. 

Allegations by the police are that the dolls were stolen in a series of burglaries at the CBD shopping centre since July. The man who has been arrested is now charged with burglary and theft and has been bailed. He will be appearing in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in May 2026.

Labubu brand, a Chinese toy brand created by the POP MART company (it was first released in 2019), has recently become popular in Australia. According to the collectors, the charm is their cute yet ugly looks. A collector and content creator, Rome Viduya, who has over 25 Labubu dolls, remarked that the retail price of the item is about A$35 per box, but the aftermarket resell value of rare editions soars high, even reaching A$400 or above. 

One of the effects of the trend, collectors are taking additional precautions. Mr Viduya claimed that some of his most treasured dolls are kept in plastic cases, and he is very careful when taking them out in the streets- he cited some cases of toys being stolen out of bags. 

The case attracts attention not only to the fact that the market of limited-edition toys is booming, but also to the risk of theft and resale in that segment. Police report that they are investigating the matter to determine whether the dolls were part of a larger theft network involving high-value collectible toys.

The suspect will appear in court next year, and the police are still searching for other potential victims of the suspected burglary spree.

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