Man stole diamond ring and tried to swallow in Turkey

An Irish tourist has been hospitalized in Turkey after he allegedly tried to steal a diamond ring by SWALLOWING it.

The man, identified as Ian Campbell, is accused of trying to steal the £30,000 gem from a jewellery shop in the Marmaris District of Mugla Province.

The 54-year-old allegedly snatched the item of jewellery in the shop before trying to leave with it clenched in his fist.

The shop assistant was reportedly suspicious and so locked the front door of the store to prevent Campbell from leaving. He then allegedly put the ring in his mouth and swallowed it.

The jeweller is then said to have called the police, who took Campbell to the Marmaris State Hospital on the orders of a prosecutor who instructed doctors to perform surgery to retrieve the ring if it was not returned "by natural means".

An x-ray reportedly showed the 2.5-carat diamond inside Campbell's stomach.

The jeweller told reporters that he was still waiting to have his ring returned and confirmed that he had made a criminal complaint.

From mirror