Diamond smile: Singapore jails man for gem in mouth theft

A Singapore court sentenced an Indian tourist to more than two years in jail over a failed bid to steal a diamond by hiding it in his accomplice's mouth.

Mangroliya Manojkumar Kurjibhai, 41, and his accomplice visited a jewellery store in Singapore's Chinatown on June 19 with their eyes on a 4.95-carat diamond worth $154,000, according to court documents seen by AFP on Tuesday.

Mangroliya distracted the shop manager while his partner, 30-year-old Serasiya Milan Ramnikbhai, allegedly swapped the diamond with a fake hidden in his mouth, local media reported.

The two men then left the story without buying anything, with Serasiya now carrying the real stone in his mouth.

The theft was caught on surveillance camera, and the pair arrested at the airport later that day -- with the stolen gem recovered from one of their bags.

Mangroliya was sentenced to two years, two months and two weeks in jail after pleading guilty last week, court papers said.

Serasiya is in remand and scheduled for a hearing on Friday.

The pair reportedly arranged for a counterfeit diamond -- matching the real gem's specifications and serial number -- to be made in India before travelling to Singapore.

It is unclear how they obtained the diamond's details in advance.

AFP

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