Police in New Zealand have recovered a James Bond-inspired Faberge pendant after six days of closely watching the man accused of swallowing the jewellery in an Auckland store.
They said the pendant valued at £33,000 NZ dollars (£14,225) was recovered on Thursday night after it exited the suspect’s gastrointestinal tract naturally without medical intervention.
The limited-edition Faberge egg pendant was inspired by the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy, in which a jewel-smuggling operation involves a fake Faberge egg.
The man was arrested inside Partridge Jewellers in Auckland on November 28 shortly after the alleged theft.
Given this man is in police custody, we have a duty of care to continue monitoring him given the circumstances of what has occurred
He made a court appearance on November 29, when he did not enter a plea to a charge of theft.
Since then, he has been in police custody and officers had been stationed round the clock with the man to wait for the evidence to re-emerge.
The 32-year-old has not been publicly named. He is due to appear in Auckland District Court on Monday and will remain in police custody until then.
“Given this man is in police custody, we have a duty of care to continue monitoring him given the circumstances of what has occurred,” Inspector Grae Anderson said in a statement on Wednesday.
The store’s website says the egg, one of only 50 made, was crafted from gold, painted with green enamel and encrusted with 183 diamonds and two sapphires.
The pendant is 3.3 inches tall and is mounted on a stand.
“The egg opens to reveal an 18ct yellow gold octopus nestled inside, adorned with white diamond suckers and black diamond eyes,” an item description said.
“The octopus surprise pays homage to the eponymous antagonist at the centre of the Octopussy film.”
