Force Not With Accused Star Wars Lego Thief

Wesley Chapel, FL — Jedi mind tricks didn't seem to work for a 35-year-old man accused of stealing more than $300 worth of Lego Star Wars toys from a Wesley Chapel store earlier this week.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Shannon Kirkley, a fugitive from East Orange, N.J., on Thursday. According to the agency, Kirkley walked into the 6105 Wesley Grove Blvd. Toys ‘R’ Us Tuesday afternoon and proceeded to make an elaborate attempt to steal the Legos.

Kirkley, an arrest report said, took several Lego Star Wars items from the store’s shelves, removed their security features and then tried to conceal them inside a box that once contained a toy chest. Kirkley, deputies say, removed the toy chest and stuffed the box with 12 Lego items valued at more than $300.

Kirkley then proceeded to go through the checkout and did pay for the toy chest, the arrest report noted.

His attempt to dupe store security with the concealment ruse didn’t quite pan out, the report noted. After paying for the chest, his attempt to leave the store without paying for the Legos went south.

He was brought into custody by Pasco County deputies after a bit of a scuffle, the agency reported in an email to media.

Once they had Kirkley in custody, deputies did a background check and found out he is a suspect in similar  crimes at Toys ‘R’ Us stores across the country, the arrest report said. In addition, Kirkley had cocaine and paraphernalia in his possession.

The sheriff’s office said he also has an outstanding warrant for violation of probation on a resisting an officer conviction.

Kirkley was booked into the Pasco County Jail on grand theft, possession of cocaine, possession of paraphernalia and resisting an officer charges. Kirkley remained behind bars Thursday.

Booking photo courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office