A man is accused of swallowing a diamond engagement ring worth £35,000 ($43,500 USD) in a brazen attempt to steal it from a London jeweler. The incident occurred at Elegance Jewellers in the city's Hatton Garden jewelry district.
According to the store, the man spent approximately two hours browsing on July 8, 2026, before he allegedly placed the ring in his mouth and swallowed it. CCTV footage captured the man, described as grey-haired and wearing a blue shirt and blazer, inspecting the ring and then appearing to swallow it before continuing to look at other items.
When staff realized the valuable ring was missing, they confronted the man. He reportedly denied taking it and even suggested they search his pockets. However, after reviewing the store's security footage, staff understood what had happened. The store then demanded the return of the jewelry.
Eyewitness accounts state the man then put his fingers down his throat and regurgitated the ring. He was subsequently escorted out of the store by security. Elegance Jewellers, a family-run business that has been open for over three decades, reported the incident to the police the following day.
Junaid Hassan, who runs the family business, told The Sun that he was surprised the man was able to swallow the ring, noting, "I can't even take paracetamol without water so I don't know how he did it." He added that the man "was talking normally, you couldn't tell the ring was in there." Syed Hassan, Junaid's father, who served the man, described the alleged thief as initially "screaming and shouting" when accused, but he calmed down once confronted with the evidence.
The platinum engagement ring is described as featuring a large princess-cut diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. Elegance Jewellers has alerted other stores in the area to be vigilant, believing the man to be a professional thief. The Metropolitan Police have been contacted regarding the incident.