A former employee with a Chatsworth-based toy maker was charged with stealing more than $1 million worth of diecast model car collectibles from the company’s factory, authorities announced Tuesday.
Luis Tanahara, who had worked for MGA Entertainment, is accused of stealing CarTuned collectibles valued at about half a million dollars from a shipping container on Feb. 14 then loading them into his car, the LA County District Attorney’s Office said.
CarTuned products are collectible toy cars with metal bodies, authentic wheel details and real rubber tires, according to MGA Entertainment. The cars are highly valued by collectors and hobbyists, particularly when sold in surprise “master packs.”
When investigators searched Tanahara’s Simi Valley home on March 4, they seized more than $1 million worth of the collectibles, the DA’s office said.
The 55-year-old pleaded not guilty April 10 to the charges, was released on his own recognizance and ordered to stay away from his former workplace.
A date is scheduled to be set Wednesday for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to allow the case against him to move forward to trial.
If convicted as charged, he could face up to six years in state prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
In a statement announcing the case, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said, “Diecast cars are not everyday toys or merchandise with a set retail value. They are prized collectibles with a potentially infinite value to a collector, representing a tremendous loss for the victim. My office will continue to fight for our local businesses and hold retail thieves accountable.”
City News Service contributed to this story.