06/11/2026
LEGO Theft Case Expands Across Multiple States, Ends in a 45-Year Sentence
What started as the theft of LEGO merchandise from the Target store in Watauga led to the conviction and sentencing of a suspect connected to theft cases across North Texas and Oklahoma.
As the investigation unfolded, Watauga Detective J. Branscum determined the suspect was linked to several theft cases in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Denton County, and Oklahoma. Working with other agencies, investigators connected the cases and uncovered a larger pattern of theft.
The investigation revealed that over a 50-day period in 2025, Winston Love targeted multiple Target stores, stealing more than 200 LEGO sets, about a dozen coffee makers, several vacuum cleaners, and multiple PlayStation controllers with a total value exceeding $30,000.
As a result of the offenses at Target and many other retailers, Love was taken into custody and faced bonds totaling more than $1.3 million in multiple jurisdictions.
The case was tried in Tarrant County last week, where a jury found Love guilty. On June 9, 2026, he was sentenced to 45 years in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
The Watauga Police Department recognizes Detective J. Branscum, the Criminal Investigations Division, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, and the agencies that worked together on this case, including the Euless, Grapevine, and Mansfield Police Departments.
This conviction reflects the value of agencies working together and law enforcement's commitment to holding repeat offenders accountable for crimes that impact our communities. It also serves as a reminder that the Watauga Police Department will relentlessly investigate criminal activity and work with its partners to seek justice for those affected by crime.
