Australian police have retrieved approximately 40,000 special-edition coins inspired by the popular children’s show Bluey, following their theft from a Western Sydney warehouse.
Authorities had reported in July that 63,000 of the coins, minted by the Royal Australian Mint, were stolen two months before they were set for release.
On Tuesday, after raiding a property located roughly 10km (6 miles) from the storage site, officers recovered 40,061 of the coins.
Police stated that 27-year-old Christina Vale was arrested the same day, charged with break-and-enter as well as disposing of stolen goods, making her the third suspect detained in connection to the heist.
The gold-coloured coins, colloquially referred to as “Bluey dollarbucks” in homage to the show, feature characters from Bluey, a Brisbane-made animated series following the Heeler dog family.
Police say each coin holds a face value of A$1 (US$0.65), though they had been listed online for ten times that amount.
Following the theft, New South Wales Police launched an operation dubbed Strike Force Bandit — named after Bluey’s father in the series.
In August, officers arrested 44-year-old Steven Nielsen, a warehouse employee, and Nassar Kanj, also 44, who allegedly served as his accomplice.
Police intend to argue in court that Vale acted as the pair’s getaway driver.
The Bluey series, produced by Brisbane’s Ludo Studio alongside BBC Studios and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, has become a global sensation.
Broadcast in more than 60 countries, the series ranked among the top 10 US streaming programs last year, with over 20 billion minutes viewed on Disney+.
In addition to its over 150 episodes, a Bluey-themed interactive experience is set to open in Brisbane next month.
The recovered coins differ from another collectable Bluey currency set released by the Royal Australian Mint in June, which sparked significant demand from fans.
Source-BBC
