Man charged with theft after allegedly swallowing Fabergé pendant in jewellery store | New Zealand

A New Zealand man has been charged with theft after allegedly swallowing a Fabergé James Bond Octopussy egg necklace worth more than $33,500 ($19,200).

The city’s central area commander, Grae Anderson, said police were called to Partridge Jewellers, a jewelery store in central Auckland, on Friday afternoon after staff claimed a man had picked up the necklace and swallowed it.

“Auckland city squad responded minutes later and arrested the man inside the store,” Anderson said.

Charging documents seen by the Guardian confirm that a 32-year-old man has been charged with theft for allegedly stealing a Fabergé x 007 Special Edition Octopus Egg Surprise Locket worth $33,585 on November 29.

Fabergé is one of the most famous jewelers in the world, known for its imperial Russian eggs.

According to Fabergé’s website, the necklace is made of 18-karat yellow gold and decorated with green guilloche enamel. It consists of 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires.

The egg locket “offers a surprise” – inside is a miniature 18-carat gold octopus with two black diamond eyes.

Police were unable to provide a photo of the object because it “has not yet been found.”

The man was also accused of stealing an iPad from the same jeweler on November 12 and stealing $100 worth of cat litter and flea treatment from a private address the next day.

He was remanded in custody and will appear in district court again on December 8.