• Man accused of theft after swallowing rare Fabergé gold necklace
• The piece has not yet been recovered

A 32-year-old man in New Zealand has been charged with theft after swallowing a James Bond Octopussy edition Fabergé necklace, valued at more than NZ$33,500 (US$19,200).

Police were called to a central Auckland jewelry store after staff reported that the man had grabbed the necklace and swallowed it, according to Commander Gray Anderson.

Anderson said, “An Auckland city patrol team responded within minutes and arrested the man inside the store.”

Court documents state that the man swallowed a rare 18-carat gold Fabergé necklace, decorated with green enamel, 60 white diamonds, and 15 blue sapphires, containing a small gold octopus with black diamond eyes inside.

Police have not been able to display photos of the piece as “it has not yet been recovered.”

The man also faces charges for stealing an item from the same store on November 12, and for stealing cat litter and a flea treatment worth NZ$100 from a private address the following day.

He has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in the District Court on December 8.