The American Fork Police Department has released a detailed response after YouTuber Reckless Ben documented police stops, arrests, a vehicle search, and a search warrant during his investigation into a disputed $200,000 Lego Star Wars collection.
The 26-minute statement comes after Ben, whose real name is Benjamin Schneider, published a follow-up video documenting his attempts to pursue legal action against individuals connected to the long-running controversy surrounding the collection’s disappearance.
While neither side disputes that Schneider was stopped by police, arrested, and that the Airbnb where he was staying was searched under a court-approved warrant, the YouTuber and law enforcement disagree on what led to those actions.
Reckless Ben documented arrests and police search
In his follow-up investigation, Schneider’s video showed him and his crew members repeatedly being stopped by police while attempting to contact Joshua Johnson, a Bricks & Minifigs employee linked to the dispute.
The YouTuber also documented his arrest, the arrest of another member of his team, and the execution of a search warrant at the Airbnb property where his group was staying.
Schneider’s video also included footage of the arrests and search, though he argued they stemmed from false allegations connected to his investigation into the missing Lego collection.
According to Schneider, officers were repeatedly called after he attempted to contact Johnson regarding legal proceedings connected to the dispute. He also claimed police searched the Airbnb after receiving allegations that he and his associates had stolen Lego merchandise.
Schneider additionally suggested that Johnson’s membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with the religious affiliation of several officers involved in the case, may have contributed to what he viewed as preferential treatment.
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Schneider did not present evidence proving collusion, and the police department’s response maintained officers acted based on reported conduct and evidence gathered during the investigation.
The American Fork Police Department has since publicly responded to many of those claims.
Police say arrests stemmed from stalking investigation
In a statement released by Police Chief Cameron Paul, the department said officers were responding to conduct reported in Utah rather than attempting to intervene in the underlying business dispute in Oregon.
According to police, officers received multiple complaints from Johnson and his family over several days. The department said Schneider and individuals working with him repeatedly attempted to contact Johnson at his residence, photographed the property, delivered packages, and placed signs near the home despite prior warnings from officers.
The department also released body camera footage and excerpts from police reports detailing several encounters between officers and Schneider’s group.
One point where the police response partially aligns with Schneider’s account concerns legal paperwork he was attempting to serve.
According to the department, officers contacted Marion County Circuit Court in Oregon and confirmed the lawsuit referenced in Schneider’s paperwork was legitimate. Police said they were also informed that the documents had already been served and that no hearing date had yet been scheduled.
Police say they established probable cause that Schneider’s conduct met the threshold for stalking and targeted residential picketing under Utah law.
Schneider disputes that characterization and argues his actions were part of efforts to serve legal documents and investigate the missing collection.
The affidavits contain allegations presented by police to support arrests and charges. They do not constitute findings of guilt.
Court records detail Lego search warrant
Court documents reviewed by Dexerto provide additional detail regarding both Schneider’s arrests and the search warrant executed at the Airbnb.
A probable cause affidavit filed in Utah County following Schneider’s March 10 arrest alleges he coordinated repeated contact with Johnson’s residence over several days, including through third parties.
The affidavit also states Schneider admitted placing a sign depicting Johnson alongside the message: “I stole a dying man’s life savings,” as seen in Ben’s own video, in an effort to get Johnson to speak with him.
Police arrested Schneider on March 10 on allegations of stalking and targeted residential picketing. A second probable cause affidavit filed the following day sought an additional stalking charge after officers alleged Schneider continued directing activities near the residence through supporters while promoting a GoFundMe campaign connected to the case.
According to the affidavit submitted to obtain the warrant, officers had already identified the property as Schneider’s location while attempting to arrest him. The affidavit states that the Airbnb owner reported overhearing conversations about “possible stolen Lego toys” inside the rental property.
Police included that information in a request seeking authorization to search for “any stolen merchandise, specifically Lego merchandise.”
The warrant was approved on March 11. However, the warrant return filed afterwards states: “Benjamin Schneider was arrested. No items seized.”
The department’s response also addressed Schneider’s claim that an officer injured his shoulder during the arrest. Police said body camera footage showed officers handling Schneider’s right arm, while the X-ray image displayed in one of his videos appeared to depict a left shoulder.
The department additionally stated that officers documented no complaints of shoulder pain during Schneider’s detention, transport, or booking.
The police response marks the latest development in a dispute that began after Oregon collector Brian Mancel alleged that approximately $200,000 worth of rare Lego Star Wars sets disappeared following a change in ownership at a Bricks & Minifigs franchise location.
Schneider has said that multiple videos concerning the missing Lego collection have yet to be released, so it remains to be seen what, if any, developments, have yet to be made public.
