Thief Jailed after Switching $154,000 Diamond for Fake Gem

(IDEX Online) - A thief has been sentenced to more than two years in jail in Singapore after he switched a $154,000 diamond with a fake stone hidden in his mouth.

Serasiya Milan Ramnikbhai, 30, from India, pleaded guilty on September 1, 2026, to stealing a 4.95-carat diamond.

His accomplice, Mangroliya Manojkumar Kurjibhai, 41, received the same sentence in July.

The court heard that Mangroliya, who worked in the diamond industry, hatched the plan, sourced the counterfeit stone, identified the target store and booked the flights and hotel.

The two men entered Singapore on June 19, 2026, and visited a jewelry store in Chinatown at about 3pm.

They asked to view the diamond and Mangroliya distracted the sales manager by asking to see several other items.

When the manager left his seat, Serasiya spat out the fake diamond, swapped it for the real one and concealed the genuine stone in his mouth.

The theft was discovered after the pair left the store. The manager examined the fake gem with an optical identification machine and found it was counterfeit.

Police were alerted at about 3:40pm and the two men were arrested about five hours later at Changi Airport as they attempted to clear immigration. The genuine diamond was recovered from Serasiya's haversack.

Serasiya's lawyers said he knew nothing about the gem trade and had been promised money for his role. He was already in custody on unrelated matters and appeared in court via video link.

Pics courtesy Singapore Police Force show the recovered 4.95-ct stone and the two defendants being led away.