Police: Woman swallowed diamond, pawned it later

Sandy Police Sgt. Jon Arnold says before being pawned, the ring first went through the "natural digestive process"

Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah woman is accused of theft after police say she swallowed a $4,000 diamond ring at a department store before pawning it off after it passed through her system.

Police say 38-year-old Angela Winters Hardman of Sandy stopped at a Macy's outside Salt Lake City in May and asked to try on the jewelry.

An employee says Hardman then made a switch and handed back a similar, though obviously bogus, ring — but denied stealing the real thing.

Detectives who watched surveillance video confronted Hardman later and say she admitted swallowing the ring and pawning it days later for $600.

Sandy Police Sgt. Jon Arnold says the ring first went through the "natural digestive process."

Hardman is charged with felony retail theft. It wasn't clear whether she had a lawyer.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press