Man charged after swallowing Fabergé pendant worth $33,500
A 32-year-old New Zealand man has been charged after allegedly swallowing a Fabergé James Bond Octopussy egg pendant worth 33,585 New Zealand dollars ($19,200) during a theft at a central Auckland jewelry store, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
Police reported that officers were called to Partridge Jewellers at 3.30pm last Friday after staff alerted authorities to the incident.
Court documents state that the suspect allegedly picked up the Fabergé x 007 Special Edition Octopussy Egg Surprise Locket and ingested it in an apparent attempt to conceal the theft. The pendant, crafted from 18 karat yellow gold and decorated with green guilloche enamel, is set with 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires. According to Fabergé, the locket “offers a surprise,” containing a miniature gold octopus set with two black diamond eyes.
The police report noted that the valuable piece “has not yet been recovered.”
Authorities also confirmed that the man faces additional charges, including the alleged theft of an iPad from the same store on 12 November.
The suspect was remanded in custody following his appearance in Auckland District Court and is expected to reappear on 8 December.
Fabergé, one of the world’s most renowned jewelers, is internationally known for its imperial Russian eggs and limited-edition collaborations.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced in early November that two additional suspects had been charged in connection with the Louvre robbery, almost two weeks after the heist.
