Police say Tatura owner is devastated after theft of more than 150 dolls stolen last month. It’s unlikely more than 150 collectible Barbie dolls stolen from their dream house will be sold on the black market, with the close-knit collectors community keeping an eye out for dodgy dealers.
The dolls, as well as Elvis memorabilia and a Jack Daniel’s esky, were stolen from a home in the country Victorian town of Tatura, near Shepparton, in early December. Still in their original packaging, it took their owner 12 years to collect the rare dolls, which were released between 1970 and 2017.
They are estimated to be worth in excess of $15,000. It’s believed the thieves could attempt to sell the vintage dolls online, and police have asked the public to keep an eye out for them. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email. Fady Abdel, owner of Superstar Dolls Sydney who specialises in vintage, designer and collectible dolls, said there had been an increase in the amount of scammers since the Barbie movie was released in 2023.
He said scammers would often inaccurately advertise rare or vintage dolls when in fact they were fakes. But he says it is unlikely the stolen dolls would be sold on the black market or to other collectors. “That’s simply because the collector community is a small one that is tightly knit,” he said.
