A Fabergé pendant stolen from a New Zealand jewelry store has been recovered after police waited six days for a suspected thief to pass the item naturally while in custody. Authorities said the 32-year-old man swallowed the rare $19,000 piece during a Nov. 28 theft at Partridge Jewelers in downtown Auckland, prompting nonstop monitoring as officers ensured the pendant’s safe recovery.
Police arrested the man inside the store before he could flee. Investigators quickly determined he had ingested the item, leading to a round-the-clock watch while officers avoided medical intervention. Inspector Grae Anderson said, “Given this man is in Police custody, we have a duty of care to continue monitoring him given the circumstances of what has occurred.” The man appeared in court on Nov. 29 but did not enter a plea and has remained in custody since.
The limited-edition Fabergé Pendant is modeled after the egg featured in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy and is one of only 50 produced. Crafted from 18-karat gold, covered in green enamel, and set with 183 diamonds and two sapphires, the pendant opens to reveal an “18ct yellow gold octopus nestled inside, adorned with white diamond suckers and black diamond eyes,” according to the jeweler.
The unusual recovery effort ended once the pendant was safely retrieved without injury. Officers maintained a continuous presence beside the suspect throughout the wait, ensuring the high-value item emerged intact.
