Auckland law enforcement officials have confirmed the successful recovery of a high-value Fabergé egg locket that was deliberately swallowed by an alleged thief during a jewelry store incident. The diamond-encrusted piece, valued at NZ$33,585 (approximately $19,300), was retrieved through natural bodily processes without requiring medical intervention.
The unusual case began when police apprehended a 32-year-old male suspect at Partridge Jewellers in central Auckland last week. Security footage and witness accounts indicate the man consumed the luxury item minutes before his arrest in an apparent attempt to conceal evidence.
According to the jewelry manufacturer’s specifications, the stolen artifact—marketed as the ‘Octopussy egg’ in homage to the 1983 James Bond film—features 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires mounted in precious metal. The locket mechanism reveals an intricate 18-carat gold octopus miniature when opened.
The suspect remains in police custody under continuous monitoring due to duty of care obligations following the ingestion incident. Additional charges have been filed against the individual for allegedly stealing an iPad from the same establishment on November 12th, plus separate charges for allegedly taking cat litter and flea control products worth NZ$100 from a private residence.
The defendant is scheduled for court reappearance on December 8th. Fabergé, the renowned jewelry house founded in Russia over two centuries ago, is internationally celebrated for its gemstone-adorned precious metal eggs historically created for Russian royalty.