MURFREESBORO, TN - Murfreesboro detectives are on the hunt for a man who, rather than constructing Lego masterpieces, decided to build himself a discount—one price tag at a time. What may surprise you more than a grown man working to get a deep discount on building blocks is that this is not the first time area stores have had a problem with keeping Legos out of the hands of adults—specifically, those who circumvent paying for them.

According to the Murfreesboro Police Department, the unidentified suspect waltzed into Target on Old Fort Parkway on March 5, swapped out the price tag on a Lego set, and breezed through self-checkout with a hefty discount of his own making. Impressed with his handiwork during his first visit, he decided to return to the store on March 9. On that second visit this past Sunday, it quickly became evident that he expected more while wanting to pay less. With savings in mind, he is believed to have again played the old switcheroo game. In other words, the bearded fella seemed confused about his own identity, possibly thinking he worked at the retailer and could mark prices himself. Authorities report that he switched the price tag on two different building block sets that he targeted in the toy aisle, effectively marking down the price as if it were on sale. After changing the prices, he headed to checkout like any good customer would do, paid his marked down price, and made off like a bandit.

Unfortunately for our cost-cutting Lego bargain hunter, security cameras don’t take discounts. The cameras captured a clear image of the man, who was wearing a camouflage jacket and a light gray “Staccato” ball cap. The hat could prove to be a valuable clue in identifying the man. 

For those who consider themselves to be armchair secret agents, if you were tasked with building a profile on our thrifty shopper, you would first note that Staccato (ballcap that the subject was wearing) is a firearms manufacturer based in Texas that produces an array of reliable, accurate handguns, many of which are used by law enforcement agencies across the country. Thus, the first point to include in the profile is that the suspect may be passionate about firearms or law enforcement, one or the other. As for the camo jacket, all we know is that it failed to help him blend in.

Upon exiting Target parking lot in Murfreesboro, the man was seen leaving the area in an older model black Nissan Altima. More specifically, the car was well-used, with the paint appearing faded by the sun in some areas of the sedan. This detail could be added to your investigative criminal profile, indicating that he probably parked in the sun or frequently drove his car in sunny conditions - both valuable details.

As you conduct your behavioral analysis on the suspect, police will be keeping their eyes peeled for the unknown shopper. Murfreesboro authorities are also encouraging citizens to reach out with any information about our bearded friend. If you recognize him (or know someone who suddenly has a suspiciously large Lego collection), contact MPD Detective K. Ferree at 629-201-5628.

In past incidents involving Legos, Smyrna Police reported in 2023 that several men entered Target on Sam Ridley Parkway and left with multiple different Lego sets that they failed to pay for. A similar situation unfolded in Williamson County, where the Lego crew struck again, leaving the Cool Springs Target store with over $1,000 in building blocks. Like the incident in Murfreesboro, the Smyrna and Franklin cases were also caught on camera. 

• More Local Lego Thefts
• Previous Local Lego Heist

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