A man in New Zealand is facing theft charges after allegedly swallowing a high-value Fabergé pendant inside a jewelry store — and police are now waiting for the “evidence” to naturally reappear.
The incident happened on Nov. 28 at Partridge Jewellers in central Auckland. According to authorities, the 32-year-old suspect swallowed a Fabergé James Bond Octopussy egg pendant worth around $19,000 USD (33,000 New Zealand dollars).
Police were called to the store at about 3:30 p.m., and officers arrested the man within minutes. He was taken into custody after undergoing a medical assessment.
“At the time of his arrest he underwent a medical assessment, and an officer is assigned to constantly monitor the man,” said Inspector Grae Anderson. “At this stage the pendant has not been recovered.”
The stolen item is a limited-edition Fabergé piece created in collaboration with the James Bond franchise. Only 50 of these pendants exist worldwide.
According to the jeweller’s description, the pendant:
- Is made of 18-carat yellow gold
- Is hand-painted with green enamel
- Is decorated with 183 diamonds
- Features two blue sapphires
- Stands 8.4 cm tall
- Opens to reveal a crafted gold octopus — a nod to the 1983 Bond film Octopussy
Central to the movie’s plot is a jewel-smuggling scheme involving a fake Fabergé egg, making this real-life case even stranger.
Because the man reportedly swallowed the pendant, police are essentially waiting for digestion to do its job.
“Given this man is in Police custody, we have a duty of care to continue monitoring him given the circumstances,” Anderson said.
The suspect appeared in Auckland District Court on Nov. 29 and did not enter a plea to the theft charge. His next court date is Dec. 8.
Court documents also show the man is facing separate accusations, including:
- Theft of an iPad from the same jewelry store on Nov. 12
- Theft of cat litter and flea treatment from a private residence the following day
For now, authorities continue to keep a close watch — literally — waiting for the pricey pendant to finally resurface.
