APD: Trio accused in $10K Lego larceny

Police say three men stole more than $10,000 worth of Lego bricks and other merchandise from multiple stores across Albuquerque before selling them to local toy and collectibles shops. 

Matthew Marquez and Alfonso Yribe are charged with multiple counts of shoplifting and organized retail crime. Police said another man, Martin Gonzales, was an accomplice but did not meet the threshold to be charged with organized retail theft.

A pretrial detention motion for Yribe, who police said stole $10,000 worth of Lego bricks, states that a person with “serial criminal conduct” would not follow probation rules if released.

“Victimizing the same store multiple times is violent and distressing for the employees who work there and threatens community safety and wellbeing,” the motion states.

Officers were assigned to the case after a Target employee reported a group of people shoplifting at the store at 6100 Paseo Del Norte in Northeast Albuquerque, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. 

Police learned the men were “targeting exclusively Legos” and learned they had been selling the stolen Lego sets to two local stores, the complaint states.

The first incident began on Jan. 15 after Target surveillance footage showed Marquez leave the store with $525 worth of Lego bricks, according to the complaint. Three days later, employees reported that Marquez had entered the store and left with $400 worth of merchandise, including multiple Lego sets. 

Marquez returned on Jan. 21 and was seen leaving with a backpack and a Lego set worth $150. Employees told police he again did not pay for the items, the complaint states. 

He returned the following day with Yribe and together, the two allegedly took nearly $920 worth of Lego sets, according to the complaint. Police said surveillance footage showed Yribe hiding some of the merchandise in a baby stroller. 

From Jan. 26 to Jan. 29, Yribe and Marquez returned to the Target and stole roughly $2,000 worth of items. During each alleged theft, the men stole multiple Lego sets, the complaint states.

The group went to the same Target location twice on Jan. 28, with Yribe going alone the first time and exiting with $330 worth of items and Gonzales and Marquez going later in the day and stealing $340 in items, according to the complaint. 

Officers watched Yribe load the items into a vehicle before driving to the Yo! Toys store at 1605 Juan Tabo NE, where police believe the group was selling the Lego kits, the complaint states. Police also observed some of the stolen Lego sets at Astro Zombies on 3100 Central and believe the men sold items to that store as well. 

The theft continued through February, with thousands of dollars worth of the construction toys being stolen. On Feb. 17, Yribe and Marquez reportedly took $1,195 worth of items in a single day, the complaint states.

Police arrested Marquez and Yribe on Feb. 23 after they shoplifted Lego bricks again, according to the complaint. Officers used surveillance footage, license plate information and a GPS tracking device on one of the Lego sets to identify the men. 

In total, officers said the group shoplifted at least 50 Lego sets before selling them to local retail shops. 

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.