Family Arrested After Seven Million Dollar Shoplifting Spree

A Chicago family’s decade-long shoplifting spree ended on Wednesday when Branko, Lela and Julia Bogdanov were arrested for thieving more than seven million dollars in merchandise and selling the goods (toys, electronics, steak knives) from their home and on eBay.

The Bogdanovs’ spree was no casual operation or impulse theft. The family traveled to different states to nab valuables such as Furbies to resell. The investigation, led by The United States Secret Service was launched after complaints from Barnes and Noble and Toys R Us, which both reported huge losses in merchandise. This raises the question of how much the Bogdanovs were able to steal at one time and how often they were hitting the stores.

It’s reported that Lela Bogdanov would wear a long black skirt when she went shopping and would leave with the skirt notably fuller (and louder, no doubt, with all that Furby chatter), but no other details have been provided as to how so many thefts were accomplished. (Or how she kept the Furbies quiet; I’m sorry I can’t get over the Furby thing, but I was in a target last week and accidentally set off several Furbies at one time which was traumatizing.)

Each member of the family faces one charge of interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. The Bogdanovs have not yet entered a plea.