New Zealand police have charged a man with theft after allegedly picking up a jewel-encrusted gold Faberge egg locket from a jeweler and swallowing it.
The unusual incident occurred at a store in central Auckland on Friday afternoon, according to a statement from New Zealand Police Auckland Central Area Commander Inspector Gray Anderson sent to CNN on Tuesday.
Anderson said store staff called police at around 3:30 p.m. local time (9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday), and “officers responded within minutes and arrested the man who was inside the store.”
The 32-year-old man was charged with theft and was taken into custody ahead of a court appearance scheduled for Dec. 8, the statement said.
In a separate statement released Wednesday, Anderson said the man underwent a medical examination at the time of his arrest and was constantly monitored by police officers.
“Given that this man is in police custody, given the circumstances that have occurred, we have a duty of care to continue to monitor him,” Mr Anderson said.
“At this stage, the pendant has not been recovered,” it added.
According to court documents seen by CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand, the stolen Fabergé James Bond Octopussy Egg Locket, valued at NZ$33,585 (approximately $19,300), was stolen.
According to the locket’s listing on Fabergé’s website, the locket is made of 18K yellow gold and green guilloche enamel and also features 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires.
“In true Fabergé style, the beautiful egg locket also offers a surprise: it opens to reveal a miniature 18K gold octopus inside, capturing the spirit of the film’s namesake,” the description reads.
“The octopus is fitted with two black diamond eyes,” he added.
Fabergé is a historic jewelry house founded in 1842 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
On Tuesday, one of the 50 imperial eggs created by Fabergé for Russian emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II sold for 22.9 million pounds ($30.2 million), including fees, breaking the Russian jeweler’s personal record as the most expensive piece ever sold at auction.
The astronomical price of winter eggs reflects the growing rarity of the eggs, which have not been sold at auction in more than 23 years.
This is one of only seven remaining in private hands, the others are either missing or in the possession of institutions and museums.
