A suspected thief shocked staff at a London jewellery store after allegedly swallowing a £35,000 (approximately RM200,000) diamond engagement ring in an audacious attempt to steal it.
The bizarre incident unfolded at Elegance Jewellers in Hatton Garden, where the man had reportedly spent nearly two hours posing as a genuine customer while browsing engagement rings before attempting to leave the shop.
According to the jewellery store’s owners, staff realised the £35,000 (RM200,000) ring had disappeared. When confronted, the man allegedly denied taking it, insisted he was innocent and even challenged employees to search his pockets. The unusual theft attempt has drawn widespread attention, highlighting the increasingly creative methods used by suspected professional thieves.
After reviewing CCTV footage, staff were stunned to discover the man had allegedly placed the diamond ring into his mouth, swallowed it and tried to walk out of the store unnoticed.
Junaid Hassan, 28, who manages the family-run business, said staff demanded the ring be returned. The suspect then reportedly put his fingers down his throat and regurgitated the ring before handing it back.
“I still can’t believe it happened. I can’t even swallow a paracetamol tablet without water, so I don’t know how he managed to swallow a diamond ring. It could have seriously injured him, and he was speaking normally as if nothing had happened,” Junaid said.
His father, Syed Hassan, 58, who had been serving the customer, said he only realised the ring was missing as the man prepared to leave, claiming he would return the following day after making a decision.
When questioned, the suspect allegedly became angry and repeatedly denied stealing the jewellery. However, after staff reviewed the security footage and confronted him with the evidence, he reportedly calmed down before returning the ring.
Following the incident, Hatton Garden security personnel escorted the man out of the premises. The jewellers said they reported the case to police on the same day but were unsure whether the suspect was later arrested.
The family, who have operated the business in Hatton Garden for more than 30 years, believe the man may be a professional thief. They also claimed he had a friend saved on his mobile phone who was apparently prepared to call the shop and plead with staff to release him if confronted.
