<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police in New Zealand have charged a man with theft after he allegedly stole a jewel-encrusted gold Fabergé egg locket from a jeweller's by picking it up and swallowing it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The unusual incident occurred on Friday afternoon at a store in central Auckland, according to a statement from Inspector Grae Anderson, Auckland Central Area Commander at New Zealand Police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Store staff contacted police around 3.30 p.m., and officers "responded minutes later, arresting the man inside the store," Anderson said.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/israel-says-it-has-launched-an-airstrike-in-southern-gaza-as-retaliation-for-an-earlier-attack-by-militants-in-rafah/c8a0a925-30c5-4e53-8f9a-3116fb001806" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Israel launches airstrike in southern Gaza in retaliation for Rafah attack</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 32-year-old man has been charged with theft and has been remanded in custody prior to a scheduled court appearance on December 8, according to the statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a separate statement, Anderson said the man had undergone a medical assessment at the time of his arrest and is being constantly monitored by an officer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Given this man is in police custody, we have a duty of care to continue monitoring him given the circumstances of what has occurred," said Anderson.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/new-zealand-faberge-egg-swallow/2a6ee1d6-cd26-4eb8-85a8-0faedf641bd2" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"At this stage the pendant has not been recovered," he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The stolen item is a Fabergé James Bond Octopussy Egg locket worth 33,585 New Zealand dollars ($29,300), according to court documents seen by CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A listing for the locket on the Fabergé website reveals that it is made from 18-karat yellow gold and green guilloché enamel, and it also features 60 white diamonds and 15 blue sapphires.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/trump-said-he-was-sharper-than-i-was-25-years-ago-then-he-spent-an-hour-appearing-to-doze-off--again/6276d993-4dfc-40c1-940a-dbc6e8fefc65" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>He loves to hammer 'Sleepy Joe'. He's turning into 'Sleepy Don'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In true Fabergé style, the beautiful egg locket also offers a surprise — opening to reveal a miniature 18k gold octopus inside, capturing the spirit of the film's namesake," the description reads.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The octopus has been set with two black diamond eyes," it adds.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fabergé is a historic jewellery house founded in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1842.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On Tuesday, one of 50 Imperial Eggs produced by Fabergé for Russian Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II sold for £22.9 million ($46.3 million), including fees, breaking its own record as the most expensive work by the Russian jeweller ever to appear at auction.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Winter Egg's astronomical price tag reflects the growing rarity of the eggs, none of which had been seen at auction in over 23 years.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is one of just seven left in private hands, with the others either missing or owned by institutions or museums.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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