Additional Coverage:
- Cops monitor man’s every bowel movement after he ‘swallows’ $19K Fabergé egg pendant (themirror.com)
Auckland Man’s Alleged Diamond Diet Leads to High-Stakes Stakeout
Auckland, New Zealand – In a truly bizarre turn of events, authorities in New Zealand are keeping a close eye on a 32-year-old man, not for a daring escape, but for a very personal delivery: a Fabergé locket worth a staggering $19,300, which he allegedly swallowed.
The incident unfolded at Partridge Jewelers in Central Auckland when police were called at approximately 3:30 p.m. regarding reports of a man ingesting a “Fabergé x 007 Special Edition Octopussy Egg Surprise Locket.” For those unfamiliar with the brand, Fabergé is a renowned Russian jeweler celebrated for its exquisite, jewel-encrusted creations, particularly its iconic eggs.
The alleged “jewel swallower” was apprehended swiftly within the store. Grae Anderson, the city’s central area commander, confirmed the arrest, stating, “The Auckland city beat team responded minutes later, arresting the man inside the store.”
However, the story doesn’t end there. Anderson revealed that the suspect underwent a medical assessment and a police officer has been assigned to “constantly monitor the man.”
The reason? “At this stage, the pendant has not been recovered.”
One can only imagine the unique challenges of this particular police detail.
The locket itself is a marvel of craftsmanship, fashioned from 18k yellow gold, adorned with green guilloché enamel, and set with 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires. Its exterior mirrors the Fabergé egg from the film Octopussy, featuring an 18k gold lattice framework delicately set with blue sapphires and white diamonds in a floral design.
And the “surprise” inside? A miniature 18k gold octopus with two black diamond eyes.
Adding to the suspect’s legal woes, he is also accused of stealing an iPad from the same jewelry store on November 12th, and later, cat litter and flea treatment from a private residence the following day. He is scheduled to appear in court on December 8th.
This unusual incident comes on the heels of other high-profile jewel heists. Just this week, four individuals were arrested in connection with the October Louvre Museum jewel heist in Paris, where royal jewels estimated at €88 million ($101 million) were stolen in a brazen daylight robbery. Those jewels, which include a diamond-and-emerald necklace gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara, also remain unrecovered.