New Zealand Police say they have recovered a James Bond-inspired Fabergé pendant after six days of closely watching the man accused of swallowing the jewellery in an Auckland store.
They said the pendant was recovered on Thursday night after it exited the suspect’s gastrointestinal tract naturally without medical intervention.
The limited-edition, Fabergé egg pendant was inspired by the 1983 James Bond film “Octopussy,” in which a jewel-smuggling operation involves a fake Fabergé egg.
A less glamorous photo supplied by New Zealand’s police on Friday showed a gloved hand holding the recovered pendant and its long, gold chain with an intact price tag showing the jewellery’s $33,000 ($28,775) value.
There’s a reason we never tire of heist films
The 32-year-old man was arrested inside Partridge Jewellers in Auckland on November 28 shortly after the alleged theft.
He appeared in court on November 29, when he did not enter a plea to a charge of theft.
Since then, he has been in police custody with officers stationed around the clock to supervise the man while waiting for the evidence to re-emerge.
The man 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 said 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 8.4 centimetres 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 [1983 James Bond] Octopussy film.”
AP