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Jack Gramenz

Second alleged Bluey bandit sniffed out over coin heist

A 500kg pallet of 63,000 of the unreleased Bluey coins were stolen from a storage facility in July. (HANDOUT/NSW POLICE)

A second alleged bandit has been accused of stealing coins minted to celebrate beloved Australian cartoon Bluey.

The children's hit TV show picked up its third silver Logie on Sunday, but its global success had already been marked with limited-edition gold coins from the Australian Mint.

The dollar coins have already been sold online for about $10 each but were not due to enter circulation until September.

A second man has been arrested over the alleged theft of 63,000 limited-edition Bluey coins.

A 500kg pallet carrying 63,000 of the unreleased coins was reported stolen from a secure storage facility in July.

Detectives in the aptly named strike force Bandit - the same name as the titular blue heeler's father on the show - on Tuesday charged a second man over his alleged involvement in the theft.

The man was arrested at a home in Sydney's southwest and is due to face Fairfield Local Court on three charges of aggravated break and enter to commit a serious indictable offence.

Arrest of a man over the theft of collectible Bluey coins
A second man has been charged over the theft of collectible Bluey coins.

A 47-year-old man returns to court in October on the same charges after being arrested earlier in August, with police alleging he removed the pallet from a secure location before the theft.

The stolen coins differ from a set of three Bluey-themed coloured coins the Mint offered collectors for in June.

Those 90,000 coins, which have a face value of $1, are being sold online for $20.

One unfortunate collector had 189 of the stolen gold coins confiscated after purchasing them for about $1.50 each.

They have not been charged.

Bluey has become a global phenomenon after first airing in Australia on the ABC in 2018.

It follows the adventures of a young dog and her family living in suburban Brisbane.

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