BREAKING: A mother from Hesperia, California, is sounding the alarm after her daughter became a victim of theft during an online sale. The incident occurred on Thursday evening at 5:40 p.m., when a man posing as a buyer stole a limited-edition Starbucks Hello Kitty plush in a shocking turn of events.
The victim had been communicating with the suspect on OfferUp, where he appeared to be a verified user from Victorville with numerous five-star reviews. After indicating he would pay through Zelle, he arranged to meet for the exchange. The suspect arrived in a black Cadillac sedan and claimed he needed to take a video of the item for his girlfriend.
“My daughter went out to show him the item,” Cristina explained. “He stayed in the car and said he wanted to take a short video of it to send to his girlfriend. She trusted him for a moment, but followed her gut and stepped back — that’s when he grabbed the plush through the window and sped off.”
Cristina described the suspect as a Hispanic male in his early 20s, with a smaller build. Alarmingly, the vehicle’s rear license plate had been removed, raising suspicions about the suspect’s intentions. After the theft, the victim immediately contacted 911, and the incident is now under investigation by the Hesperia Police Department, part of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
This theft coincided with the launch of Starbucks’ 2025 holiday merchandise line, which included the highly coveted Hello Kitty collaboration. Fans of the brand camped outside stores, waiting for hours to purchase these limited-edition items. Reports indicate that the Hello Kitty plush and other collectibles sold out within hours, with resale prices skyrocketing to between $100 and $600 on online platforms.
Cristina expressed her concerns, stating, “She feels really bad because he knows where we live. We just want to warn people before someone else gets scammed or hurt.” Her daughter later discovered that multiple other users on OfferUp in the High Desert area received similar suspicious messages from the same account, indicating that the suspect may be targeting various sellers.
Authorities are urging residents to take precautions when conducting online sales. They recommend using designated “safe exchange zones” located at local sheriff’s stations or well-lit public areas. “You never think something like this will happen in your own neighborhood,” Cristina added. “We just hope our story makes others a little more careful.”
If you have any information regarding this theft, please contact the Hesperia Police Department at (760) 947-1500 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at (760) 956-5001.
Stay alert and protect yourself while engaging in online transactions. Share this warning to help others stay safe!
