Two men charged, extradited to NSW over alleged $500k opal theft

Two men accused of stealing opals worth half a million dollars have been extradited to NSW after they were nabbed at a vehicle stop in St Kilda.

Two men accused of stealing opals worth half a million dollars have been charged and extradited to NSW after they were nabbed with gems in their car in Victoria.

Officers found a “substantial” quantity of opals in a car pulled over for a vehicle stop in Melbourne’s St Kilda on Wednesday, police said.

Two men aged 27 and 28 were arrested and were extradited to NSW where they are due to face court on Saturday.

One of the alleged jewel thieves extradited from Victoria and charged over alleged $500,000 opal theft. Photo: NSW Police

The arrests come months after a February 10 home invasion in which four people broke into a property at Albion Park Rail, south of Wollongong, and demanded opals from the occupants.

A man, 46, and woman, 26, handed over the collection valued at more than $500,000, police said.

The group then fled the scene in a black Ford sedan and the theft was reported to police.

The pair were allegedly caught with a “substantial” quantity of opals in a car at St Kilda in Melbourne. Photo: NSW Police

The 28-year old man has been charged with two counts of specially aggravated break and enter, committing a serious indictable offence with a weapon and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

The 27-year-old has been charged with knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, specially aggravated break and enter and committing a serious indictable offence.

Both men were denied bail on Saturday.