1 min read- A California man was arrested after allegedly swapping LEGO pieces with pasta and returning the boxes to Target.
- Police say the scheme involved about 70 incidents and roughly $34,000 in merchandise.
- Investigators believe the suspect used dried pasta to mimic the weight and sound of real LEGO bricks.
This is one of those stories that sounds made up the second you hear it. It’s not.
A California man was arrested after allegedly pulling off a bizarre retailscam involving LEGO sets, dried pasta, and Target’s return policy. According to police, the scheme involved buying expensive LEGO kits, removing the pieces, replacing them with pasta, and returning the boxes for a refund.
Investigators say the suspect, 28-year-old Jarrelle Augustine, is linked to about 70 incidents nationwide, totaling roughly $34,000 in losses. Authorities allege that Augustine specifically targeted valuable items such as mini-figures and hard-to-find bricks, then used dried pasta to mimic the weight and sound of a full box.
The scheme eventually unraveled after multiple stores flagged suspicious returns. Detectives tracked the pattern, conducted surveillance, and ultimately arrested Augustine on grand theft charges in Orange County, California.
Police didn’t resist the urge to have a little fun when sharing the news. In a statement, they called it a “pasta-tively terrible plan.” Online, people were equally read with jokes. One Reddit user called it a “fettuccine felony,” which feels like the only correct response.
For now, Augustine remains in custody while authorities continue reviewing the full scope of the case. It’s still unclear whether additional charges could be filed in other locations tied to the alleged scheme.
Hopefully, this remains the only story in which “LEGO” and “pasta” are central characters in the same sentence.