Sydney: An Australian man is set to face court on Wednesday following his arrest for allegedly stealing over A$600,000 ($393,000) worth of commemorative coins linked to the hit children’s television show “Bluey”, according to police.
The 47-year-old is accused of pilfering 63,000 unreleased, limited-edition A$1 coins from a warehouse in Wetherill Park, a suburb of Sydney, in June. The theft was investigated by “Strike Force Bandit,” a special police unit established to probe the crime.
“Bluey”, a popular Australian animated series for children, has been one of the most-streamed shows in the United States and ranks as the 14th highest-rated show of all time on IMDb.
The commemorative A$1 coins, produced by the Australian Mint, are priced at A$20 each on the official website. However, one eBay seller was reportedly charging nearly A$600 for a set of three. According to police, the stolen coins are now being sold online for up to ten times their face value.
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The suspect, who worked at the warehouse, allegedly took the coins from the back of a truck and began selling them online within hours. A police raid on a Sydney residence in June resulted in the recovery of 189 of the stolen coins. The man was arrested at a different Sydney location on Wednesday.
