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Silicon Valley Exec Found Guilty Of Stealing LEGOs

Andrew Dalton — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 13:45:02 GMT

Thomas Langenbach, a VP at software giant SAP's Palo Alto lab, has been convicted of running an elaborate scam to steal LEGO toys from local Target stores. It is quite possibly the white collar-iest of all white collar crimes.

Langenbach printed up fake barcodes that would make expensive LEGO sets ring up at lower prices at the register. Having purchased the toys at a discount, he'd then flip them for profit on eBay under the name "tomsbrickyard." As if this weren't already the geekiest crime story, the most expensive LEGO sets are all Star Wars-themed. He paid only $49 for a $279 Millennium Falcon model (Nerd alert: it's also the biggest retail LEGO model ever). Those sets are currently going for over $3,500 on Amazon.

All told, Langenbach made more than $30,000 by selling over 2,100 sets out of his multimillion dollar home in San Carlos. Lagenbach was finally brought down last year when Target's crack team of investigators caught him on camera swapping out the barcodes. A search of his car turned up eight ziploc bags of the fake barcode stickers.

His defense attorney Geoffrey Carr tried to argue that Langenbach wasn't trying to make money, but only attempting to test out some software his company had made. Apparently, arguing that your client's company is engaged in creating price-scamming software is not a very good defense. Langenbach now faces at least a month in jail and three years of probation.

At his home, authorities also found many of his own sets he had built, proving he was also a fan of the noted building blocks. He will have plenty of time to play with those during the five months of house arrest he'll have to serve as part of his sentence.

[Full disclosure: your author admits to having a severe case of LEGO Mania as a youth.]

Previously: Silicon Valley Software Exec Busted For Embezzling LEGOs
[CBS5]

Incredibly Accurate LEGO Cable Car Includes People From The Midwest, German Tourists

Andrew Dalton — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 11:51:11 GMT

Forget going to Mars, here's the nerdiest toy we'd like like to see on the shelves of City Target: LEGO brick/transit history aficionado Michael J. has created a delightfully detailed plastic brick model of San Francisco's storied cable cars.

In addition to really nailing it on the small details (props on those those running boards and rooftop signage), Michael wins points for his excellent choice of LEGO minifigure Muni riders: A German tourist (complete with pretzel), a mime probably headed to Union Square, a cowboy, some guy from Portland, a punk rocker and a girl in an all-pink tracksuit all round out the toy version of your typical S.F. cable car.

Unlike the real thing, there's little chance you could be seriously injured by the LEGO version, but it still hurts like the dickens if you step on one of those blocks.

Now if someone will please submit this to LEGO so we can get a real kit made before the holidays.

Via: Eurobricks, Hat tip: Katie/@cripsahoy

LEGO To Make Mars Curiosity Rover In Ultimate Nerd Dream Crossover

Rose Garrett — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:02:24 GMT

Rejoice, interlocking block enthusiasts and fans of infamous NASA mohawk guy: LEGO has just announced that it will be producing a Mars Curiosity Rover replica that children and lovable nerds can erect in the comfort of their own homes.

The LEGO model was created by Stephen Pakbaz, a mechanical engineer who worked on Curiosity at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and is a LEGO enthusiast. The design reached the final round of LEGO's fan-backed vote and beat out a Portal project and a pretty rad UCS Sandcrawler to get the green light for production.

Pakbaz combined his first-hand experience with his LEGO hobby to create a LEGO model that was as faithful to the actual rover as possible in terms of accuracy, details, and mechanical function, all in the civic-minded name of science:

The primary purpose of this effort has been to contribute to the educational outreach for this incredible mission. It is my hope that this model encourages the public support that is integral to the continued development and exploration of outer space.

No word yet on cost or when the LEGO rover will be available, but we're hoping it'll be here by the holidays so we can win the which-relative-gives-the-coolest-gifts prize from various nieces, nephews and eccentric uncles.

[PC Mag]

Silicon Valley Software Exec Busted For Embezzling LEGOs

Andrew Dalton — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:20:17 GMT

Thomas Langenbach, a vice president for software giant SAP's Palo Alto lab, was busted using counterfeit bar code stickers to get himself huge discounts on LEGO toys at local Target Stores. Langenbach was officially charged with four counts of burglary for seven boxes of the children's toy totaling about $1,000 worth of LEGOs. When police searched his multimillion dollar San Carlos home, however, they found "hundreds and hundreds" of LEGO boxes the software exec had been apparently selling for a tidy profit on eBay.

All told, Langenbach made around 30 grand selling 2,100 boxes of LEGOs online. Police found 32 pre-made barcode stickers in his car, which the LEGO scammer planned to use to purchase expensive models like a $279 Millenium Falcon set for a mere $49. Target has been keeping a close watch on sales of the popular and expensive children's toys, apparently: Langenbach was caught on tape swapping out the barcode stickers thanks to some vigilant LEGO stop loss procedures the stores have in place. He told police that he had seen how to perform the scam on YouTube and was curious to see if it worked, but the cops didn't think that story quite stacked up. Langenbach was arrested on May 9th and is currently out on $10,000 bail.

"This probably happens more often than you'd think," Mountain View police spokeswoman Liz Wylie told NBC Bay Area, "but this is the first time we've ever had a case like this."

This is actually the second time Target has been a victim of a LEGO scam. Back in 2005, a Reno, Nevada man was busted for running a $200,000 illegal LEGO ring that crossed state lines from Oregon and Nevada to Utah, Arizona and California.

Here is NBC Bay Area's video report:

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

[NBC Bay Area]

12-Foot Tall LEGO Santa Yoda Coming to Union Square

Brock Keeling — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:25:16 GMT

On Friday, November 18, the public and the fine folks at LEGO will help construct a 12-foot tall by 10-foot wide Santa Yoda made out of lego bricks, right next to the ice skating rink in Union Square. It promises to be one of the greatest lego creations of all time. (Ha, kidding! The greatest ones, of course, are made with space legos, the raddest blocks in the history of toys. But still, this Santa Yoda statue will be a sight to behold.)

The Lucasian building will help support the local Bay Area Boys & Girls Club. Be sure to drop by to check it out, but do it soon. Yoda will start to leave Union Square Sunday night and will be gone by Monday.

Santa Yoda get starts on Friday, November 18th to Sunday, November 20th (or until completed) at Union Square.

Legos Collide Into Super Mario Brothers, With Precious Results

Brock Keeling — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:29:24 GMT

Scott Beale over at Laughing Squid came across these adorable videos, which he dedicates to his "Super Mario Brothers obsessed" nephews, that bring together two important turning points from our youth: Legos and Super Mario Brothers.

Check out more levels here. Each of them are worthy time wasters. Enjoy!