A man has been apprehended for swallowing a valuable Fabergé egg locket he purportedly pilfered from a jewelry store. Authorities in New Zealand are presently awaiting the natural course of events after accusing the 32-year-old man, whose identity remains undisclosed, of absconding with a NZ$33,000 (£14,000) pendant by ingesting it. The pendant, reminiscent of the 1983 James Bond classic “Octopussy,” was reportedly consumed at Partridge Jewellers in Auckland on November 28.
Law enforcement officials have disclosed that they are patiently waiting for proof to surface, with no recourse but to await the object’s passage. Inspector Grae Anderson of Auckland City District Police stated, “Upon his apprehension, he underwent a medical evaluation, and an officer is continuously monitoring him. As of now, the pendant has not been retrieved.”
The man was taken into custody inside the store shortly after the alleged theft. He made a court appearance at the Auckland District Court on November 29 but did not enter a plea for the theft charge. The stolen item was a limited-edition Fabergé egg pendant inspired by the 1983 James Bond film “Octopussy,” where the plot revolves around a counterfeit Fabergé egg in a jewel-smuggling scheme.
Described on the store’s website, the egg, produced in a limited quantity of 50, is made of gold, adorned with green enamel, and embellished with 183 diamonds and two sapphires. The pendant stands at 8.4 centimeters (3.3 inches) tall, featuring an 18-carat gold miniature octopus inside the egg.
According to a product description, the egg can be opened to unveil an 18-carat yellow gold octopus with white diamond suckers and black diamond eyes inside. The octopus detail is a tribute to the antagonist in the “Octopussy” movie.
Inspector Anderson emphasized the obligation of law enforcement to monitor the man diligently due to the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Local reports indicated that the suspect had previously been charged with stealing an iPad from the same store on November 12, as well as taking cat litter and flea control products valued at NZ$100 (£43) from a private residence the following day. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 8, with hopes that the egg will have been retrieved by then.