New Zealand Police have recovered a valuable Fabergé locket after a man allegedly swallowed it during a theft at an Auckland jewelry store. Officers retrieved the limited-edition piece nearly a week later, after it passed through the suspect’s body naturally, according to the Associated Press.
The locket, inspired by the Fabergé egg featured in the 1983 James Bond film «Octopussy,» is considered a rare collector’s item and is valued at about $19,000.
The 32-year-old suspect was arrested at Partridge Jewelers on Nov. 28, shortly after the alleged theft, although he did not enter a guilty plea to the charge. Given the unusual circumstances of the case, police officers remained on duty around the clock near the detainee, anticipating the jewelry’s natural reappearance.
The man, who has not been publicly identified, remains in custody and is expected to return to the Auckland District Court on Monday.
