Police recover more than 40,000 stolen Bluey coins

Police successful Australia accidental they person recovered astir 40,000 limited-edition coins based connected the deed children’s tv amusement Bluey.

It was reported successful July that 63,000 of the coins – produced by the Australian Mint – had been stolen from a warehouse successful Western Sydney, astir 2 months earlier they were owed to participate circulation.

Authorities recovered 40,061 coins connected Tuesday aft a raid connected a spot astir 6 miles (10km) from the retention facility.

Earlier that day, 27-year-old Christina Vale had been arrested and charged with breaking and entering and disposing of stolen property, constabulary say. She was the 3rd idiosyncratic arrested implicit the alleged theft.

The coins, which are worthy A$1 ($0.65; 50p) a piece, were stolen 2 months earlier their planned release. New South Wales Police said they had previously been selling online for 10 times their look value.

Shortly aft the theft was reported, NSW Police launched a peculiar probe into the incidental codenamed Strike Force Bandit - aft Bluey's father.

In August, they arrested 44-year-old Steven Nielsen, who was an worker astatine the warehouse, and 44-year-old Nassar Kanj, who they accidental acted arsenic his accomplice successful the alleged heist.

Police volition present reason successful tribunal that Ms Vale was the pair's getaway driver.

The gold-coloured coins are known arsenic Bluey dollarbucks – which is however wealth is referred to successful the cartoon – and diagnostic images of characters from the show.

The deed series, astir the Heeler household of dogs, is made by Brisbane-based animation steadfast Ludo with BBC Studios and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Bluey has been a immense planetary occurrence and is present broadcast successful much than 60 countries including the UK, the US and China.

It was streamed for much than 20 cardinal minutes connected Disney+ successful the US past year, putting it successful the country's apical 10 streaming programmes for minutes viewed.

There are much than 150 episodes of Bluey crossed 3 seasons, and a Bluey-themed “interactive experience” is opening successful Brisbane adjacent month.

The stolen coins are antithetic from a collectable acceptable of Bluey currency that caused a frenzy erstwhile it went connected merchantability by the Royal Australian Mint successful June this year.