The Los Angeles Police Department arrested a 71-year-old man this week after finding over 2,800 boxes of Lego plastic building blocks inside his Long Beach home.

Police accused Richard Siegel and Blanca Gudino, 39, of stealing the toys. Mr. Siegel has been charged with organized retail theft and Ms. Gudino with grand theft.

Authorities started suspecting Ms. Gudino when employees of a store in San Pedro accused her of stealing Lego boxes last  December. 

On Tuesday, LAPD officers purportedly saw Ms. Gudino steal more Lego boxes from a location of the same retailer in Torrance and Lakewood.

Ms. Gudino then provided the supposedly stolen plastic bricks to Mr. Siegel at his house. On Wednesday, police executed a search warrant at his home and found the boxes.

Prospective buyers of Lego sets even arrived at Mr. Siegel’s home while the warrant was being executed, enticed by advertisements on sales sites put up by him, police said.

Items, including the Star Wars Millennium Falcon and X-Wing Starfighter sets, ranged in price from $20 to $1,000.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.