CRIMINAL PASTA-MIND

Man Arrested After Alleged $34k Lego-Pasta Fraud

It is miniature theft on a big scale.

A man has been arrested and accused of buying $34,000 in Lego figurines, filling the boxes with pasta, and then returning them for a refund. Jarrelle Augustine, 28, of Paramount, California, allegedly became the scourge of Target stores in Orange County and the surrounding area, committing around 70 thefts. Irvine Police Department said on Thursday that “in some cases, [Augustine allegedly] replaced them with… durum wheat semolina pasta.” The department said its officers carried out surveillance and identified the suspect, later sharing footage allegedly showing Augustine purchasing the sets. They said he was charged “for grand theft and booked at the Orange County Jail.” The footage also showed dozens of mini-figures in bags, with cops saying the act amounted to “what we are calling a pasta-tively terrible plan.” “If your master plan involves swapping LEGOs for linguine, we can promise your plan will be cooked al dente.” Officer Ziggy Azarcon told CBS News, “These were definitely sets that were consistent with what he was purchasing and then returning.” “These were Star Wars sets and Marvel sets, which have a very high value on the secondary market.”