New Zealand Man Swallows $19,000 James Bond-Inspired Pendant, Police Await Nature's Course

A man in New Zealand has been charged with theft after allegedly swallowing a limited-edition Faberge egg pendant inspired by the James Bond film Octopussy. The incident occurred at Partridge Jewelers on November 28, where the 32-year-old suspect allegedly picked up the ornate pendant and swallowed it. The stolen item is a Faberge x 007 Octopussy egg pendant, which is a limited edition with only 50 made globally, Euro News reported. 

Court documents indicate the pendant is valued at approximately 33,585 New Zealand dollars (around $19,000 USD). It is made of gold, features green enamel, and is decorated with 183 diamonds and two sapphires. Inside, it contains a small yellow-gold octopus with white diamond suckers and black diamond eyes.

The design references the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy, which involves a fake Fabergé egg in a jewel-smuggling plot. The egg opens to reveal an 18ct yellow gold octopus nestled inside, adorned with white diamond suckers and black diamond eyes. The octopus surprise pays homage to the eponymous antagonist at the centre of the Octopussy film," an item description said. 

The man was arrested inside the store minutes after the alleged theft. Police are currently monitoring him and waiting for the item to be recovered naturally.

"At the time of his arrest he underwent a medical assessment, and an officer is assigned to constantly monitor the man. At this stage the pendant has not been recovered," Inspector Grae Anderson said in a statement. 

"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 added. 

He appeared in Auckland District Court on November 29 on a theft charge but did not enter a plea. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 8.

Similar Cases

There have been several high-profile cases where thieves have swallowed stolen jewellery to evade arrest. Another case is that of Jaythan Gilder, 32, who was arrested in Florida for stealing diamond earrings worth $769,500 from Tiffany & Co. Gilder, posing as a representative of a professional basketball player, swallowed the jewellery during arrest. He was monitored for over 12 days before the earrings were recovered and returned to the store.

Gilder had previously been charged with a similar robbery in Texas in 2022 and had 48 outstanding warrants in Colorado. He was charged with grand theft and robbery with a mask.

Europe has seen a surge in high-value jewellery thefts in 2025. In October, thieves stole 88 million Euros worth of French crown jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris during a daylight raid.