Waterloo Regional Police investigators have recovered approximately 140 stolen items—the vast majority of which are high-demand Jellycat plush toys—following a search warrant at a Guelph residence. The official police report, released on December 11, 2025, values the total haul at roughly $7,500 and links the discovery to a series of thefts from a business on Ottawa Street South in Kitchener.
The investigation began after the Kitchener business reported two separate thefts on October 25 and December 6. While the initial reported losses were valued at approximately $2,000, the search of the Guelph home on December 9 revealed a much larger collection of merchandise. Staff Sergeant Cory Schmidt noted that investigators believe many of the recovered toys were stolen from multiple retailers across Southwestern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area.
A 52-year-old Guelph woman has been arrested and faces several charges, including theft under $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and trafficking in stolen property. The inclusion of trafficking charges suggests that the items were intended for resale on secondary markets. Police specifically identified Facebook Marketplace as a platform where items matching the description of the stolen toys were being sold. The accused is scheduled to appear in a Kitchener court on January 12, 2026.
This seizure occurs during a period of high demand for Jellycat products, which have transitioned from traditional baby gifts into a viral collectible craze for all ages. Individual plushies often retail between $30 and $125, with rare editions fetching significantly higher sums on the resale market. Local lifestyle boutiques have reported that new holiday collections frequently sell out within minutes, creating a lucrative target for organized retail crime.
The enforcement action is part of the Waterloo Regional Police Retail Crime Safety Blitz, an initiative launched in September 2025. The blitz was established in response to a 36% year-over-year increase in retail thefts across the region. Investigators are currently working to identify other affected businesses to return the recovered toys to their rightful owners. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the General Investigations Unit at 519-570-9777, extension 4496, or provide an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
