The police are now attempting to catch a thief who used a fishing rod to steal a Versace necklace from a high-end designer store in Melbourne, Australia.
The thief was caught on CCTV trying to hook the A$800 jewelry off a mannequin’s neck.
The thief managed to poke the rod through a hole that he chipped in the store’s window without setting off the alarm of the jewelry store.
Using 2 fishing rods, the man took 3 hours to land his catch, reeling in the necklace.
The incident reportedly happened on February 24, 2020.
Steven Adigrati, the owner of the Le Style Boutique, said he was stunned by the outrageous and courageous act of the thief.
During an interview with Nine News, the owner of the store said, “I couldn’t believe it.”
He added, “Three-and-a-half hours, with two rods, trying to get this necklace, was amazing. Hook, line, and sinker, I guess. He did it.”
The thief reportedly did not know the value of the necklace.
The necklace was described as a gold Medusa medallion.
During an interview with ABC News, he said, “This particular necklace looks a lot more expensive than what it is, so obviously the temptation was there: gold, bright, iconic Medusa head, so that would have been the temptation.”
The CCTV video of the thief’s unusual fishing expedition has been shared on Twitter by the Victoria Police.
In the video, the man looks like sheepishly before angling his rod towards the store display through a hole in its window.
Bede Whitty, a senior constable, said she had never seen anyone commit a burglary with a fishing rod before.
Whitty said, “It’s fairly blatant and it’s quite bold as well, to have someone attend with a fishing rod in the middle of the night.”
The man in the video is being described as white, aged between 40 and 50, around 5 feet 11 inches tall, with short and receding hair.
The police are now appealing to the public for more information about the man and the incident.