NZ Police Recover Swallowed Fabergé Pendant

New Zealand police have recovered a diamond-encrusted Fabergé egg pendant valued at 33,585 New Zealand dollars after a 32-year-old man allegedly swallowed it during an attempted theft at a jewelry store in Auckland. The incident occurred on November 28 at Partridge Jewellers on Queen Street, where the suspect was arrested within minutes of staff alerting authorities.

The pendant, a limited-edition piece inspired by the 1983 James Bond film "Octopussy," features a green guilloché enamel shell crafted from 18-carat yellow gold. It is set with 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires and opens to reveal a miniature golden octopus adorned with white diamond suckers and black diamond eyes for the creature's gaze. The design pays homage to the film's plot, which centers on a jewel-smuggling scheme involving a counterfeit Fabergé egg. Police confirmed the item was retrieved naturally from the suspect's body on Thursday evening, six days after the arrest, without requiring medical intervention. An officer had been assigned to monitor the man continuously during his time in custody to ensure the pendant's recovery.

Inspector Grae Anderson, who led the investigation, explained the...