Man allegedly Swallows $19,000 Pendant in New Zealand, Police Await โขNatural Passage
Auckland, New Zealand -โฃ A man is under police guard in New โฃZealand afterโค allegedly swallowing aโ $19,000 (NZD $30,000) pendant โขinspired by a James Bond film too prevent its seizure as evidence in aโ separate examination. Authorities are now awaiting the natural passage of the item, a โstrategy deemed the safest course of action.
The incident โคunfolded โคafter police attempted to execute a search warrant related to unrelated matters at a property in Auckland.According to Detective Inspector Scott Beard, the โman swallowed the pendant – described as a distinctive, high-value piece – when officers moved to seize it.โฃ “Given the item’s valueโข and the potential risks associated with a surgicalโค retrieval, we’ve determined the safest option is to wait for it to be โnaturally eliminated,” beard โstated. The man โis currentlyโ under medical observation and police surveillance.
The pendant’s design is reportedly reminiscent of jewelry featured in a James Bond movie, adding a layer of intrigue to the case. While the initialโฃ investigation focuses on unrelated offenses,the swallowing of the pendant has triggered a separate inquiry into โpotential โคcharges related to obstructing justice and the attempted concealment of evidence.
Fabergรฉโฃ eggs, renownedโค for their intricate designs and historical meaning, have long captivated collectors and art enthusiasts. Commissioned โคby the Russian Imperial โฃfamily, these opulent โคcreations were a tradition initiatedโค by Czar Alexander III, who presented an egg to his โคwife each Easter. His successor, Nicholas II, extended the gift to his wife andโ mother.
Czar Nicholas II commissioned an egg for his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, โasโค an Easter presentโ inโ 1913. It was one of โtwo eggs created by female designerโ Alma Pihl; her other egg โis ownedโข by โBritain’s royal family. โThe Romanov royal family ruled Russia for 300 years before the 1917 revolutionโ ousted it. Nicholas and his family were executed in 1918.
These eggs often changed hands following the 1917 โฃrevolution, as the cash-strapped Communist authorities sold off Russia’s โฃartistic treasures. One such โegg, originally bought by a London dealer for 450 pounds in the 1920s, was auctioned by Christie’s โinโ 1994 for over $5.6 million and again in 2002 for $9.6 million, โคeach sale โsetting a world record price for a Fabergรฉ item.
Margo Oganesian, head of Christie’s Russian art department, has described a Fabergรฉ egg as “the ‘Mona Lisa’ for decorative arts,” highlighting their superb craftsmanship and design. Faberge created 50 Imperial Easter Eggs forโข the Romanov family over 31 years,and 43 survive today,mostly housed in museums.
agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
Klette
