Stolen minifigures

[Vindicare]

As this topic is fresh in my mind, as it has recently happened to me for the first time, it has me thinking about it a lot. I acquired 70909 Batcve Break In in a trade at the local third party store. Nothing seemed amiss, I broke the seals as always, emptied bag bag one. Noticed Penguin, and his minions, were gone. I checked the contents to make sure there wasn't two bag "1". Then I checked the rest. Nothing. No figs. Took it back, gave it a look over and noticed the tape. On the bags and the box. 

 

What I got to thinking is, what can TLG do about this? I imagine not much, as they are at the mercy of the store employees. I mean, they can send stores a policy of what to do in the case of a return, like to look at the seals carefully to make sure they're true. But again, it's implementing lays in the store. 

 

I sent end an email outlining what happened to TLG, just to keep them informed. 

[BubbaFit45531]

Trade?

In the other similar thread, I suggested store employees weigh merchandise before accepting returns because they likely have weight data in their computers for use for self-checkouts where you are supposed to put everything down on the scale. This would be a quick and easy way to catch crooks who buy, loot, then return.

[Lyichir]

It's definitely a problem when this happens but Lego is limited in what they can do, in part because there aren't many options that could discourage looting without simultaneously inconveniencing legitimate buyers. There's even less that they can do about people returning looted sets to third-party retailers—if they accept returns without due diligence to ensure that the sets haven't been tampered with, the blame falls on them, not Lego.

In this case I would recommend contacting the seller who you got the set from about your issue. It's possible that they could give you a full or partial refund, and maybe even identify the buyer who pilfered the figs in the first place so that they don't get away with doing so again in the future.

[MAB]

11 hours ago, BubbaFit45531 said:

Trade?

In the other similar thread, I suggested store employees weigh merchandise before accepting returns because they likely have weight data in their computers for use for self-checkouts where you are supposed to put everything down on the scale. This would be a quick and easy way to catch crooks who buy, loot, then return.

 

It wouldn't catch the people that fill in the missing weight with dog food or megabloks.

[Tariq j]

There are sensors that change colour when they're exposed to light, since most thieves open the box on the sides since they're easy to reseal maybe Lego should place sensors on the inside of Large sets like the Batcave so if someone does want to return a set, they're able to check if it has been broken in to since the sensor would indicate it. 

[BubbaFit45531]

I suspect thieves currently do not go through the trouble of refilling the weight of what was stolen. As is, without weighting returns, people are getting ripped off.

[dr_spock]

I suspect the labour costs of doing careful inspection and tamper sensors cost are not high on the retailer's priority list.  It is a problem but it is not big enough yet for a business case to do more.  Retailers can also send returned items off to an liquidation auction and let winning bidders deal with the AS-IS goods.  Retailers can still make some money and it is not their problem any longer.

 

[Mesabi]

Unfortunately I don't think there's anything that can be done. Having worked in retail, I know how little stores care about stuff like this. My suggestion would to be to just buy online or off of eBay, where you know what you're getting. 

[BubbaFit45531]

This type of indifference by stores would make me not want to buy anything from them ever again. I think it boils down to the employees not caring about doing their jobs competently and just going through the motions and collecting their paychecks. We're talking about teenagers and people who don't have a lot of education.

[kibosh]

It's not they don't care, or are uneducated, but what can they do?  Should they open every single item that is returned and verify contents against some sort of manifest?  So now all legitimate returns now become opened goods that can no longer be sold as new?  Who is going to absorb that loss?

And specifically with LEGO, thieves make the boxes look pristine.  Will LEGO provide itemized images of what should be in every box to be consulted on all returns?  How would they know if minifigures are missing without researching it?

[BubbaFit45531]

Like I said before, weigh the returns and compare the tainted boxes weight against the weight of fresh boxes I suspect they already have in the computer for point of sale self checkout scales. Target, Walmart, Home Depot all ask you if you brought your own reusable bag and to weigh it prior to scanning items. It's quick and simple and I'm certain not all thieves go through the trouble of weight substitution for stuff they steal. If they cared about their customers, they'd put some thought and effort into it.

They already take down people's ID when they return something. Just put a bit more thought into the process to stop the thieves.

[kibosh]

I've never shown my ID when making a return.  And how much does a minifigure weigh?  I highly doubt the scales are calibrated that precisely.  When I buy CMFs at the self scan line, I always need help.  They don't weigh enough to even register on the scale.

[MAB]

On 27/02/2017 at 6:53 PM, Tariq j said:

There are sensors that change colour when they're exposed to light, since most thieves open the box on the sides since they're easy to reseal maybe Lego should place sensors on the inside of Large sets like the Batcave so if someone does want to return a set, they're able to check if it has been broken in to since the sensor would indicate it. 

 

How would they know? If the sensor inside the box is exposed to light then it would be resealed inside the box again. They'd have to open the box to find out if the sensor had changed colour. And by opening the box, the sensor changes colour...

 

[dr_spock]

 

2 hours ago, MAB said:

How would they know? If the sensor inside the box is exposed to light then it would be resealed inside the box again. They'd have to open the box to find out if the sensor had changed colour. And by opening the box, the sensor changes colour...

 

You can probably defeat that by opening the box in the dark or using a frequency of light that won't activate the chemicals.  Hopefully chemicals used aren't toxic.  The PR can't be good for a children toy if the packaging contains chemicals.

 

 

[Vindicare]

On 2/28/2017 at 9:01 AM, dr_spock said:

I suspect the labour costs of doing careful inspection and tamper sensors cost are not high on the retailer's priority list.  It is a problem but it is not big enough yet for a business case to do more.  Retailers can also send returned items off to an liquidation auction and let winning bidders deal with the AS-IS goods.  Retailers can still make some money and it is not their problem any longer.

 

This was my initial thought when emailing them about the issue...I just don't know if it's high enough to warrant action.  I imagine, just from my own experience of buying that it's not a big problem. But nearly every time I go into TRU, I see an opened box on the shelves.

 

I just couldn't get over thinking what kid could've gotten the set instead of me & how upset they'd be because the minifigs weren't there. 

[MAB]

7 hours ago, Vindicare said:

I just couldn't get over thinking what kid could've gotten the set instead of me & how upset they'd be because the minifigs weren't there. 

 

They'd probably less upset than an adult opening a box and finding the minifigs are not there. :-)

[AFOLguy1970]

In a lot of cases, neither the kid nor the parents might not even be aware that something is missing.  Unless of course, the missing minifig is focus to the set (ie.  a Darth Vader in a DV tie fighter).  Maybe some of the more expensive sets could be stored behind glass like they do with the video games.  Sometimes, Walmart and Target  have cables around them which are not removed until checkout.  

[masterX244]

On 3.3.2017 at 3:56 PM, AFOLguy1970 said:

In a lot of cases, neither the kid nor the parents might not even be aware that something is missing.  Unless of course, the missing minifig is focus to the set (ie.  a Darth Vader in a DV tie fighter).  Maybe some of the more expensive sets could be stored behind glass like they do with the video games.  Sometimes, Walmart and Target  have cables around them which are not removed until checkout.  

that wouldn't help much on the issue of the "returned" sets where the thievery happens outside the store

[WookieCookie1977]

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Edited August 31, 2017 by PatRat

[Isavarg]

Lego do a missing/broken pieces service on their website so you can ask them to replace them. It doesn't stop thieves from taking pieces out of the box and returning them, but you should be able to get the figures replaced, and even if a piece is missing from a box it could be that the piece wasn't put in there at the factory. I've had a couple of large sets where this has happened.

[splatman]

On 3/2/2017 at 6:59 AM, MAB said:

How would they know? If the sensor inside the box is exposed to light then it would be resealed inside the box again. They'd have to open the box to find out if the sensor had changed colour. And by opening the box, the sensor changes colour...

 

The sensor would have an exposed tab that displays the unexposed color. When the sensor is exposed, the tab changes to match. Do not know how that would work, but someone could figure out how to make it work effectively and cheaply. And safely.

[Agent Kallus]

On 02/03/2017 at 5:37 PM, dr_spock said:

 if the packaging contains chemicals.

Everything contains 'chemicals'.

[Risgrynsgrot]

You gotta realize how many sets LEGO sells - and how few of them actually have the minifigs removed then returned to store. It's much, MUCH cheaper for LEGO to just send replacement figs those occasions than to come up with and install some kind of anti-theft system in every single set.