Ring 'stolen', swallowed, expelled and now lost PT1M23S http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-2ypny 620 349 December 4, 2013 One of the two diamond rings swallowed by an alleged jewel thief has been accidentally thrown away. Queensland Police Service Deputy Commissioner Ross Barnett said the man passed the ring over the weekend but it wasn't picked up until secondary X-rays on Tuesday night confirmed only one ring was left in his system. "We believe it was inadvertently disposed of in one of two waste bags that were given to us by the prisoner and delivered as part of normal waste collection from the Brisbane city watchhouse," he said. He denied the incident was embarrassing for police, saying the officers involved had acted in good faith. "This is a rare and difficult set of circumstances, no one sets out to lose evidence," Deputy Commissioner Barnett said. They've done the best they could in the circumstances and unfortunately there was a gap in the processes they put in place. The man posed as a customer at an Indooroopilly jewellery store on November 29, inspecting the two rings before allegedly running off with them. After he was cornered by passers-by and taken into police custody it became apparent he had swallowed the pieces. Deputy Commissioner Barnett said the ethical standards command was now investigating how the ring was lost during the expulsion process. "One possibility is he knew he had passed it and didn't alert police to that, the other possibility is that he was unaware or unsure," he said. He's had no visitor contact, been under constant surveillance throughout ... we're confident as we can be that the ring has unfortunately been inadvertently lost in the waste disposal process. In the meantime, police are now taking the man out to the customs facility at Brisbane Airport so he can use their specially-designed toilet until the second ring emerges. He said they believed the lost ring was now buried under landfill, and a search would cost more than the ring's value. "It became clear that the costings for doing a search were completely cost prohibitive and not in the public interest," he said. QPS regrets this incident and will confidentially discuss matters of compensation with the owners of the ring. Deputy Commissioner Barnett said the disappearance of one ring would not hinder the police case against the suspect but they would enter compensation talks with the jewellery store. He admitted the case was "fairly unique" and one that served as a warning for others who might consider swallowing evidence. "I'm sure... he probably regrets it, based on all the circumstances so far," he said. It's not a pleasant way to spend a week of your life - and it's not over yet.