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

Original article by Eva Corlett in Wellington

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

Police were called to a central Auckland jewellery store, Partridge Jewellers, on Friday afternoon after staff reported a man had allegedly picked up the pendant and swallowed it, said Grae Anderson, the city’s central area commander.

“The Auckland city beat team responded minutes later, arresting the man inside the store,” Anderson said.

Charge sheets, seen by the Guardian, confirm a 32-year-old man was charged with theft on 29 November for allegedly stealing the Fabergé x 007 Special Edition Octopussy Egg Surprise Locket, valued at $33,585.

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

According to Fabergé’s website, the pendant is made from 18-karat yellow gold and decorated with green guilloché enamel. It is set with 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires.

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

The police could not offer any photos of the object as it “has not yet been recovered”.

The man was also charged with allegedly stealing an iPad from the same jewellery store on 12 November and, the following day, stealing cat litter and flea treatment, worth $100, from a private address.

He has been remanded in custody and will reappear in the district court on 8 December.