Owner Hoping Public Can Identify Items Being Fenced
Vintage Toy Collection
CORONA (CNS) – A vintage toy vendor whose Corona storage bin was targeted by thieves, allegedly resulting in a six-figure loss, was hoping Monday that a GoFundMe campaign he started would help him recover from the raid — and generate attention so that people can be on the lookout for the stolen items.
“More than 5,000 new-in-the-box collectibles were stolen from approximately 85 large storage totes,” Charles Runge said on his GoFundMe page. “The estimated value of the loss is more than $130,000 — and that is on the low end.”
Runge said on Sept. 14, a check of his storage unit at CubeSmart on Green River Road revealed a collection he had been building — and was the centerpiece of Runge Toys Vintage Collectibles — for 20 years had been targeted in a burglary.
“The nostalgic toys and memorabilia … included Hot Wheels, Barbie, G.I. Joe, military toys, sports memorabilia, trading cards, action figures and thousands of other collectibles from the 1980s and 1990s,” he said. “This collection was more than merchandise. It represented my family’s history, my life savings and the future inventory for the (brick-and-mortar) store I dreamed of opening.”
Along with Runge Toys Vintage Collectibles, Runge identified himself as a dealer at Groovy Ghost Vintage in Orange.
“The unit appeared to have been searched and re-staged,” he said. “Empty containers were stacked to make it look as though nothing had happened, and the lock was still in place and appeared to work. I am still trying to understand how such a massive collection could have been removed from a gated storage facility with access codes and cameras without being noticed.”
Runge said he filed a report with the Corona Police Department, adding that he’s now “doing everything possible to gather evidence, preserve surveillance footage, alert the public and locate the stolen items.”
He’s inclined to believe many of the items “may eventually appear through online marketplaces, swap meets, auctions, collectible stores, or private sales.”
“I had invested most of my income into this collection while preparing to open my own store and begin the next chapter of my life,” Runge said. “Losing it has placed my family, livelihood and future plans in an extremely difficult position.”
His GoFundMe page is at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-chucks-dream-after-130k-toy-theft.
Anyone with information relevant to the investigation was asked to contact the police department at 951-736-2330.
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