Authorities in New Zealand have charged a male with theft after he supposedly took a jewel-encrusted gold Fabergé egg locket from a jeweler by picking it up and swallowing it.
The uncommon incident took place on Friday afternoon at a shop in downtown Auckland, according to a report from Inspector Grae Anderson, Auckland Central Area Commander at New Zealand Police, forwarded to CNN on Tuesday.
Store personnel contacted police around 3:30 p.m. local time (9:30 p.m. Thursday ET), and officers “arrived minutes later, apprehending the man inside the shop,” Anderson stated.
The 32-year-old man has been accused of theft and has been held in custody pending a scheduled court appearance on December 8, per the report.
In a separate announcement published Wednesday, Anderson mentioned the man had undergone a medical review at the moment of his apprehension and is being continuously observed by an officer.
“Considering this individual is in police detention, we possess a responsibility of care to keep supervising him given the circumstances of what has transpired,” said Anderson.
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“At this juncture the pendant has not been retrieved,” he concluded.
The taken item is a Fabergé James Bond Octopussy Egg locket valued at 33,585 New Zealand dollars ($19,300), according to court paperwork seen by CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand.
A description for the locket on the Fabergé website shows that it is crafted from 18-karat yellow gold and green guilloché enamel, and it also showcases sixty white diamonds and fifteen blue sapphires.
“In genuine Fabergé fashion, the exquisite egg locket also presents a surprise — opening to expose a miniature 18k gold octopus within, reflecting the essence of the film’s namesake,” the description states.
“The octopus has been adorned with two black diamond eyes,” it further notes.
Fabergé is an established jewelry firm established in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1842.
On Tuesday, one of fifty Imperial Eggs created by Fabergé for Russian Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II sold for £22.9 million ($30.2 million), including commissions, surpassing its own record as the most expensive creation by the Russian artisan ever offered at sale.
The Winter Egg’s substantial valuation reflects the increasing scarcity of the eggs, none of which had been exhibited at sale for over 23 years.
It is one of only seven remaining in private ownership, with the rest either missing or possessed by organizations or museums.
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