Australian police say they have seized about 40,000 limited-edition coins based on the popular children’s TV show Bluey.
It was reported in July that 63,000 coins produced by the Australian Mint were stolen from a warehouse in western Sydney, about two months before they were due to enter circulation.
On Tuesday, authorities raided a property about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the storage facility and seized 40,061 coins.
Christina Vale, 27, was arrested earlier in the day and charged with breaking and entering and disposing of stolen property, police said. She is the third person arrested on suspicion of theft.
The coins, worth AUD$1 (US$0.65; 50p) each, were stolen two months before their planned release. New South Wales Police said they had Previously sold online for 10 times the price.
Shortly after the theft was reported, New South Wales police launched a special investigation into the incident, codenamed “Strike Force Bandit” (named after Bluey’s father).
In August, they arrested warehouse workers Steven Nielsen, 44, and Nassar Kanj, 44, who they said was an accomplice in the alleged robbery.
Police will now argue in court that Ms Weir was the pair’s getaway driver.
The golden coins, called Bluey Dollarbucks (the cartoon’s term for money), feature images of characters from the show.
The hit series about the Heeler dog family is produced by Brisbane animation company Ludo in partnership with BBC Studios and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“Bluey” has been a huge success internationally and is now broadcast in more than 60 countries including the UK, US and China.
Last year, the show played more than 20 billion minutes on Disney+ in the United States, making it among the top 10 most-watched streaming shows in the United States.
“Bluey” has three seasons and more than 150 episodes in total. A Bluey-themed “interactive experience” will open in Brisbane next month.
The stolen coins are different from a set of collectible Bluey coins that caused a frenzy when the Royal Australian Mint sold them in June this year.
