BEANIE BANDIT BAGS BEST OF BABIES.Byline: Jesse Hiestand Daily News Staff Writer A gunman wearing a ski mask burst into Aahs gift and novelty shop Thursday, ordered seven people to the floor and demanded . . . Beanie Babies Sources: A Beanie Baby is a stuffed animal made by Ty Inc. Ty was founded by Ty Warner who promoted the line in specialty stores and gift shops. The Ty company's famous special "posable lining" is understuffed with plastic pellets (or "beans") rather than stuffing . He passed up the cash register, ignored the least-collectible Beanies and fled with 42 of the rarest, worth a total of about $5,000, police said. Even seasoned detectives were amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. by the thief's unusual quarry during the 9 a.m. robbery. ``I've heard of some weird things over the years, but the Beanie Babies was a good one,'' said Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police Sgt. Roy VanDuyne of the Van Nuys Division. ``I had no idea how expensive they were.'' Although it was the first such heist in the division, and perhaps the entire city, a wave of Beanie Baby robbers have hit this year from Maryland to Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. . In most cases, thieves encouraged by Beanie bean·ie n. A small brimless cap. [Probably from bean, head.] beanie Noun Brit, Austral & NZ close-fitting woollen hat Noun Baby-mania have targeted the most valued Beanies, some of which sell for hundreds of dollars apiece. Newer models of the toys, made by Ty Inc., sell in stores for about $5. At Aahs in the 14500 block of Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east-west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is the oldest route in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. , the robber took the coveted cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. ``Ty'' model, now worth $65 or more because they are discontinued, the store manager said. The toys likely will find their way to a burgeoning Beanie Baby black market, which has outlets at swap meets swap meet n. An informal gathering for the barter or sale of used articles or handicrafts. and through classified ads or on the Internet, VanDuyne said. ``I didn't even know what a Beanie Baby was until today,'' VanDuyne said. ``Hopefully we'll catch this guy. He'll probably be around the area doing this again.'' The manager said she believes the robber had cased the store because he knew exactly where to find the most valuable Beanie Babies. ``He just went right to them,'' said the manager, who declined to give her name. ``It's stupid, it's crazy - there (are) crazy people out in the world,'' said the manager. The store was open just five minutes before the robber arrived, VanDuyne said. As the gunman ordered seven employees and customers to lie on the ground, a 10-year-old boy hid behind a display case. No one was injured. Witnesses described the robber as an African-American man, about 6 feet and wearing a black ski mask over his face, Van Duyne said. When a witness said the robber may have taken refuge in a nearby store, police launched a door-to-door search but could not find him. Investigators believe the robber got away in a car that had been waiting in the alley behind Aahs. |
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