Canada cops: We'll hold diamond-swallower until evidence moves

Police in Ontario, Canada say they will hold a man who allegedly swallowed a $20,000 diamond for as long as it takes for him to produce the evidence.

It has been nearly a week since Richard Mackenzie Matthews, 52, is alleged to have switched a diamond at Precision Jewellers and swallowed the real one. 


Matthews has been held at police headquarters while they wait for the 1.7-carat stone to pass through his system.

Sgt. Brett Corey said Thursday that Matthews has gone to the washroom numerous times, but the diamond hasn't passed. 

Corey says a recent X-ray showed a pair of fake diamonds, or cubic zirconiums, stuck in the man's intestines but because a diamond is translucent, it isn't visible.

He says the suspect is eager to get the ordeal over with and is co-operating. In the early stages, Corey says Matthews was being given laxative type foods, but is now being fed whatever he wants, in an effort to get things moving. 

Matthews is charged with theft and breach of court conditions, and is also wanted on warrants in Toronto. 

“We’re still waiting him out, but at this point, we don’t have anything to show for it,” Corey told the Toronto Sun.

The Windsor Star newspaper said the grim task could not be forced on a rookie detective. 

“It’s not like a hazing or ‘you’re the junior guy, in you go,’” Deputy Chief Jerome Brannagan told the newspaper. "Whoever is involved in that has to be somebody who is qualified to give evidence in court. They’re going to have to articulate what happened, how it happened, how they recovered it. The chain of evidence has to be maintained.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Discuss this post

A week & it hasn't shown? Time for a colonoscopy. Hey, we're talking $20K here. Seriously, give him a Fleet's & wash it out.

    Reply#1 - Thu May 17, 2012 12:31 PM EDT

    Ha, a "Brown Diamond".

    • 1 vote
    #1.1 - Fri May 18, 2012 3:03 PM EDT
    Reply

    GROSS!!

    I had never heard before that a diamond won't show up on xray or any other scanning image. Interesting.

    • 4 votes
    Reply#2 - Thu May 17, 2012 12:43 PM EDT

    A true diamond doesn't absorb xrays. That's one way to tell it from imitations (cubic zirconia).

    • 1 vote
    #2.1 - Fri May 18, 2012 9:47 AM EDT
    Reply

    I feel sorry for the cops. It's a $hitty job, but someone has to do it.

    • 3 votes
    Reply#3 - Fri May 18, 2012 3:25 AM EDT

    Just imagine the woman, who ends up wearing that as her engagement ring. I wonder if they will tell them the back(side) story?

    • 2 votes
    #3.1 - Fri May 18, 2012 9:18 AM EDT
    Reply

    Sure hope if they use a fan to make matters more bearable during evidence time that the $hit don't hit that fan! lol
    Stinky job to have to do and wouldn't want to have to show video to any jurors...

      Reply#4 - Fri May 18, 2012 3:40 AM EDT

      Talk about a diamond in the rough... :P

      • 2 votes
      Reply#5 - Fri May 18, 2012 4:00 AM EDT

      Chain of custody: his ass to my hand, your honor.

      • 3 votes
      Reply#6 - Fri May 18, 2012 5:39 AM EDT

      He's just greedy and won't give it up. Maybe they can hire some really small divers to go in there.

        Reply#7 - Fri May 18, 2012 6:11 AM EDT

        Is this what one would call a diamond in the ruff? Just get the Santoku out and dig in.....

          Reply#8 - Fri May 18, 2012 6:51 AM EDT

          Now this man is not complaining about IBS (irritible bowel syndrom), but worrying instead about IBM (irritable bowel movement)

          • 1 vote
          Reply#9 - Fri May 18, 2012 8:18 AM EDT

          It's taking so long because,

          "A diamond is forever"

          This could start a whole new fad. People are paying big bucks for those coffee beans pooped out by civets. Debeers can raise the price of diamonds pooped out by people.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

            Reply#10 - Fri May 18, 2012 9:29 AM EDT

            Obviously a "diamond in the Poop"

              Reply#11 - Fri May 18, 2012 6:45 PM EDT

              I don't get it - Canada has free medical care, why don't they just cut him open?

                Reply#12 - Sun May 20, 2012 8:17 AM EDT

                if theyr'e lucky and recover the diamond,who's ever going to want to wear it ?

                  Reply#13 - Sun May 20, 2012 8:33 PM EDT

                  I am laughing hysterically- after all the bad, sad news this is downright funny! The comments are even funnier.

                    Reply#14 - Mon May 21, 2012 12:12 AM EDT

                    Show her you care, get her the Poo diamond on sale today

                      Reply#15 - Mon May 21, 2012 4:33 PM EDT
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