A New Zealand man allegedly swallowed a luxury Faberge egg pendant valued at more than $33,000 during an attempted theft, Auckland police said.
Officers were called to the Partridge Jewellers in the city centre on Friday around 3.30pm when staff raised an alarm, claiming a customer had lifted the high-end James Bond Octopussy pendant from the display and swallowed it.
Grae Anderson, the central area commander, said: “The Auckland city beat team responded minutes later, arresting the man inside the store.”
“A man inside the store had allegedly picked up a pendant and swallowed it,” he said.
Court documents reportedly indicated that the accused, 32, was formally charged with theft on 29 November in relation to the Faberge x 007 Special Edition Octopussy Egg Surprise Locket, which carries a price tag of $33,585.
Faberge, the famed luxury house behind the design, is internationally recognised for its ornate imperial eggs.
Information from the brand’s official website describes the piece as crafted from 18-karat yellow gold with green guilloche enamel. It features 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires.
The interior of the locket “offers a surprise” – a miniature 18-karat gold octopus finished with two black diamond eyes. The locket is a nod to the 1983 film featuring the fictional Secret Service spy.
Police were unable to release an image of the item because it “has not yet been recovered”, Mr Anderson said.
The theft of the pendant is not the only allegation the man faced. He is also accused of stealing an iPad from Partridge Jewellers on 12 November and, a day later, taking cat litter and flea treatment worth $100 from a private residence.
The suspect is currently in custody and is scheduled to appear in the district court again on 8 December.
