New Zealand police recovered a diamond-encrusted Fabergé pendant worth NZ$33,000 ($19,000) after a six-day vigil, ending when the suspected thief passed the jewelry naturally while in custody.
The 32-year-old man allegedly swallowed the limited-edition James Bond-inspired egg locket during a theft at Partridge Jewelers in downtown Auckland on November 28. Officers arrested him at the scene before he could leave.
Police kept the suspect under constant watch, assigning an officer to monitor him around the clock until the pendant emerged Thursday night without medical intervention.
“Given this man is in Police custody, we have a duty of care to continue monitoring him given the circumstances of what has occurred,” Inspector Grae Anderson said earlier this week, the Associated Press reported.
Authorities confirmed Friday that the green enamel egg — one of only 50 made and modeled after the Fabergé egg featured in the 1983 Bond film “Octopussy” — is now back in evidence. A police photograph showed the recovered piece still attached to its long gold chain and price tag.
Crafted from 18-karat gold with 183 diamonds and two sapphires, the 8.4-centimeter pendant opens to reveal a tiny gold octopus with diamond suckers and black diamond eyes.
The man, who has not been named, appeared in court on November 29 on theft charges but did not enter a plea. He is scheduled to return to the Auckland District Court on Monday.
