Police Recover Faberge Diamond Locket Swallowed by Suspected Thief

A Faberge locket adorned with diamonds and sapphires has been safely retrieved after a New Zealand man allegedly swallowed it during an attempted theft, police have confirmed.

Officers said the jewel was recovered in a «natural» way and no medical procedure was needed. The incident took place last week at Partridge Jewellers in central Auckland where the 32-year-old suspect was arrested only minutes after he is thought to have ingested the piece.

The locket, known as the Octopussy egg, is worth NZ$33,585 ($19,368) and contains 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires. It opens to reveal a miniature octopus crafted from 18-carat gold. The design was inspired by the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy, which revolves around a plot to steal Faberge eggs.

Police said the man, who has been charged with theft, has undergone medical checks and remains under close supervision while in custody. Officers noted that they have a duty of care given the unusual circumstances.

Partridge Jewellers told Radio NZ that the recovered locket will be returned to Faberge.

Court documents seen by the BBC show that the suspect also faces charges related to an iPad allegedly taken from the same shop on November 12 and an earlier incident involving the theft of cat litter and flea treatment products worth NZ$100 ($58). He is scheduled to appear in court again on December 8.

Kursiv also reports that a diamond-studded Faberge Winter Egg that once belonged to Russia’s imperial family has sold for a record £22.9 mln ($30.2 mln) at Christie’s in London.