Do YOU have a story? Email isabella.machin@dailymail.co.uk See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy ISABELLA MACHIN, REPORTER Published: 01:42 BST, 9 July 2026 | Updated: 01:58 BST, 9 July 2026
A wannabe thief is said to have swallowed a diamond ring worth tens of thousands of pounds while pretending to be a customer - before being made to regurgitate it when staff caught him out. The suspected crook is accused of popping the ring worth £35,000 into his mouth and swallowing it in a brazen bid to steal after spending two hours 'browsing' at London's Elegance Jewellers.However, eagle-eyed staff at the family-run shop realised the ring had vanished and confronted the man, who furiously denied taking it and even urged them to search his pockets. Only after reviewing CCTV did workers at the store - located in London's famous Hatton Garden jewellery quarter - discover what had allegedly happened. Footage shows the grey-haired man inspecting the diamond engagement ring before placing it into his mouth. The man, who is wearing a blue shirt and blazer, then continues to calmly look through other rings, shown by a staff member.It is understood the man then tried to leave the store, saying he would return the next day with a decision, before being challenged by staff who demanded he return the jewellery. The alleged thief then put his fingers down his throat, the store said, and regurgitated the £35,000 ring before handing it back. Footage shows the grey-haired man inspecting the diamond engagement ring, worth £35,000The alleged thief then appears to place the ring into his mouth and allegedly swallows it Elegance Jewellers has been open for more than three decades, located in London's famous Hatton Garden jewellery quarterHe was then escorted out of the shop by Hatton Garden security. The store reported the incident to the police the next day. The platinum engagement ring features a large princess-cut diamond surrounded by several smaller diamonds. The store was left shocked after watching the clip, which they had to rewatch three times to realise the ring had been allegedly swallowed. Junaid Hassan, 28, who runs the family business, told The Sun: 'I can't even take paracetamol without water so I don't know how he did it. It could have scratched his insides. He was talking normally, you couldn't tell the ring was in there.'We asked him to give it back and he put his fingers down his throat and retched it out.'Mr Hassan's father Syed served the man and noticed the ring was missing. The 58-year-old described the alleged thief 'screaming and shouting' after he was accused of the crime and was told he couldn't leave the store.He then calmed down once he realised the store knew what he had attempted to do. 'This was the first time I had seen anything like this. It is lucky I caught him,' he added.Elegance Jewellers, which has been open for more than three decades, urged other stores to watch out for the man over the belief he is a professional thief. Elegance Jewellers, Hatton Garden and the Metropolitan Police have been contacted for comment.
