"You've no idea what it went through to get here"

A diamond-studded locket, swallowed by a man who tried to steal it from a jewellery store in New Zealand, has finally been recovered.

Police confirmed that the Fabergé x 007 Octopussy Egg Surprise locket, valued at £14,600, was retrieved "in a natural manner".

"No medical intervention was required", they confirmed.

The unusual theft took place about a week ago at Partridge Jewellers in central Auckland. Officers arrested a 32-year-old man minutes after he swallowed the locket in an attempt to make off with it.

The piece itself is not exactly palatable. The locket is set with 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires and opens to reveal an 18-carat gold miniature octopus.

Police confirmed the man underwent a medical assessment and had been under constant monitoring while in custody:

"Given this man is in police custody, we have a duty of care to continue monitoring him, given the circumstances of what has occurred".

The real-life jeweller behind the piece, Fabergé, was founded in Russia more than 200 years ago. They're famous for their jewel-encrusted eggs made from precious metals and gemstones.

Partridge Jewellers has since confirmed the locket will be returned to Fabergé, according to Radio New Zealand.

The suspect has been charged with theft and is due to appear in court again on 8 December. Court documents also allege he stole an iPad from the same store earlier in November. Then, cat litter and flea treatment from a private address.

Diamonds, gold, cat litter. Quite the shopping list.

© 2025 J W Emery Ltd. All rights reserved.