Labubu dolls are not just sitting pretty on shelves anymore.
Across the country, they’re rolling right alongside skate crews, taped to decks, clipped to backpacks, and featured in creative skate designs.
That trend took a hit recently when about $30,000 worth of these collectibles were stolen from a warehouse in Chino but police say they’ve tracked them down.
According to reports, the Chino Police Department reported that two suspects, both minors and employees at the warehouse, were responsible for the theft.
The dolls were taken in multiple trips over several days before ending up in a home in Upland. Officers recovered 14 boxes of Labubus, many still sealed, and found evidence the pair planned to resell and ship them to buyers nationwide.
The theft hit at a time when Labubu dolls have been weaving their way deeper into skate culture.
Pop Mart’s skateboard kit version has become a sought-after collectible among skaters, some keeping them mint in box while others let them ride shotgun on their boards.
For many younger skaters, the appeal is part character design, part street cred.
Labubus have a quirky look that feels at home in the DIY spirit of skateboarding. And since Pop Mart drops new designs in limited runs, tracking them down can feel like hunting for that one rare deck graphic from years ago.
While the recovered dolls will likely be returned to the warehouse, the skate-Labubu connection is only growing.