TYLER, Texas (KLTV) — A multi-state theft ring involving stolen Lego sets valued at over $400,000 has led to the arrest of two men, Brian Keith Fleming, 33, and Ladarion Dontre Anderson, 33, both of Lancaster, Texas. They were apprehended in November 2023 in Tarrant County, Texas, as part of an ongoing investigation into the theft and resale of merchandise from Walmart and Target stores across four states.
The investigation began on October 14, 2022, when a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper stopped a vehicle and found 19 unopened Cricut machines inside. The driver gave a suspicious account of where the items came from. Following the arrest of the driver on an unrelated warrant, further investigation revealed that the Cricut machines were stolen, and the involvement of Lego sets was soon uncovered through text messages on the driver’s cell phones.
The texts revealed a scheme where the stolen items, including Cricut machines and Lego sets, were being resold at discounted prices to a third party. The buyer, later identified through a United States Postal Inspector’s investigation, was reselling the merchandise on Amazon, eBay, and other online platforms.
As the investigation expanded, Fleming and Anderson were linked to a group of five “shoppers” who were stealing Lego sets from Walmart and Target stores across Texas. Surveillance footage from Walmart showed Fleming and Anderson purchasing low-cost items before the “shoppers” would load carts with Lego sets and exit the store without paying. The stolen items were then resold online, with a significant profit margin.
Walmart and Target’s investigators estimated the total value of the stolen Lego sets at over $400,000. Invoices provided by the reseller showed that more than 500 Lego sets were sold, most purchased at half of their market value.
Fleming and Anderson have been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and theft over $300,000. Fleming was booked into the Smith County Jail on December 6, 2023, while Anderson remains in the Tarrant County Corrections Center. Both men have been assigned a bond of $1,100,000.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the operation, and more arrests and charges are anticipated as the investigation progresses. The case highlights the growing trend of organized retail theft, particularly targeting high-demand items like Lego sets and reselling them online.
Local authorities and online platforms have urged shoppers to be cautious of items sold at unusually low prices and to report suspicious sellers.
