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Man Who Swallowed $19k Fabergé Egg Pendant Now Being ‘Constantly Monitored’ by Police for the Evidence to Emerge
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A man from New Zealand has been charged with theft after allegedly swallowing a hugely valuable item of jewelry in the store
The man swallowed a pendant inspired by the James Bond movie, Octopussy worth $19,300
The man is currently in custody with an officer assigned to “constantly monitor” him
A man has been charged with theft after allegedly swallowing a pendant worth $19,300 in a jewelry store in New Zealand.
On Friday, Nov. 28, authorities were called to Partridge Jewellers in central Auckland at around 3:30 p.m. about reports of a man swallowing a Fabergé James Bond Octopussy egg pendant, according to the BBC, U.K. newspaper The Guardian, ABC, and local outlet Stuff.
The 32-year-old man was arrested shortly after and is currently in custody, the BBC reported.
“The Auckland city beat team responded minutes later, arresting the man inside the store,” Grae Anderson, the city’s central area commander, said in a statement, per The Guardian.
“At the time of his arrest, he underwent a medical assessment, and an officer is assigned to constantly monitor the man,” he added, per ABC News. “At this stage, the pendant has not been recovered.”
PEOPLE has contacted the New Zealand Police and Partridge Jewellers for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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New Zealand Police car
The Fabergé egg consists of 183 white diamonds, and 2 blue sapphires, per the jeweller’s website. Once opened it displays an 18-carat gold octopus.
Featuring a “007,” the item was named after 1983 James Bond film Octopussy.
“The hand-crafted Fabergé x 007 Limited Edition Octopussy Egg Objet is limited to just 50 numbered pieces worldwide and stands at 8.4cm tall, crafted from 18ct yellow gold and hand-painted with a rich green enamel, carefully selected for its similarity to the enamel used on the Fabergé egg featured in the film Octopussy,” the description read.
The suspect was additionally charged with the theft of an iPad from the same store on Nov. 12. He also allegedly stole cat litter and flea treatment the next day from a private residence.
His next court date is set to take place on Dec. 8.
Read the original article on People