Portsmouth Police were called to 3rd Street after a woman reported that a man had taken several of her possessions without permission, including a collector’s item she believed might be worth a fortune: a 15-inch Ty Princess Diana Beanie Baby.
The woman said she made the discovery while cleaning up for a yard sale and realized the plush purple bear, a memorial edition from the late 1990s, was missing. She also told police that the same man had previously taken:
- 🥇 Two gold coins
- 🦬 Two buffalo nickels
- 🚲 A bicycle
She claimed those items had been returned after confronting him and said she had deleted incriminating text messages that initially confirmed the theft, a decision she now regretted.
Police documented the information and began looking into the unusual case of the missing Beanie Baby.
🧸 Collector Hype vs. Reality
The Ty Princess Diana bear has become the stuff of internet legend, with viral posts claiming some versions are worth thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
But experts say the real market value for most of these plush toys is far more grounded:
- Common editions typically sell for $5 to $50
- Rare, authenticated, first-run bears may fetch a few hundred dollars
- Those dramatic six-figure listings? Mostly wishful thinking and marketing fluff
Still, many people remain convinced they’re sitting on a velvet goldmine, and disputes over ownership still land in police reports more often than you’d think.
Plot Twist in the Plush Mystery
Early the next morning, the woman contacted police again with an update:
She had found the bear safe and sound, still in her possession.
With the Ty treasure located, she asked to cancel the report.
Takeaways from the Stuffed Saga
- Always double-check your closets before calling in a theft report.
- Never delete potential evidence, even if the situation seems resolved.
- And most importantly: Don’t believe everything you read on eBay.
While the purple bear may not be worth a fortune, it definitely caused a royal stir, and maybe that’s priceless enough.