A man posing as a customer reportedly swallowed a diamond engagement ring worth about £35,000 (40 lakhs in Indian rupees) while visiting a jewellery shop in London’s Hatton Garden and later retrieved and returned the ring after staff checked CCTV footage and confronted him, the shop’s owners said. 

What happened inside the shop

Staff at Elegance Jewellers said the man spent roughly two hours examining rings before suddenly placing a large princess‑cut diamond ring into his mouth and swallowing it, according to the store’s account and security footage. When employees noticed the ring was missing and asked the visitor about it, he denied any wrongdoing and even offered to have his pockets searched, the owners said.

Confrontation and recovery

After owners reviewed CCTV and saw the man’s actions, they confronted him and informed him they had called the police, the shop said. Faced with the evidence, the man allegedly forced his fingers down his throat, regurgitated the ring and handed it back; Hatton Garden’s security then escorted him from the premises, the owners added.

Owner statements

“I still can’t believe someone could swallow such a large ring — I can’t even swallow a tablet without water,” said Junaid Hasan, who works at the shop, reflecting the disbelief of the staff who witnessed the footage. Junaid’s father, Syed Hasan — who was showing rings at the time — said the man initially became loud and defensive but changed his tone once the CCTV was reviewed.

Aftermath and police report

Elegance Jewellers said they reported the incident to police the same day but did not know whether the man was later arrested. The shop, which has operated in Hatton Garden for more than three decades, warned fellow jewellers to be vigilant and described the suspect as likely a professional rather than an amateur, citing suspicious behaviour, including a pre‑saved contact on his phone that could be used as a getaway plea.

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Context and reaction

Hatton Garden is London’s historic jewellery district, and theft attempts there draw wide attention; shop owners said they shared the CCTV clip publicly to warn peers and the public about the method and the risk to staff and customers. 

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Published on: Jul 10, 2026 5:06 PM IST