More than $8000 worth of Lego has been stolen from a small town in rural New South Wales.

Police have released CCTV footage of the thief, who robbed dozens of boxes of the children's toy from a store in Young.

Australia correspondent Lesley Yeomans told Rachel Smalley it's a unique crime, but Lego is a valuable product.

"The boxes were ranging in sizes. Some cost about $150 to some to $550. So I've never bought it, but my goodness, that's a lot of Lego."

LISTEN ABOVE AS LESLEY YEOMANS SPEAKS WITH RACHEL SMALLEY