A 41-year-old Indian tourist has been sentenced to over two years in a Singapore prison following a sophisticated, yet ultimately unsuccessful, attempt to steal a high-value diamond. During a visit to a Chinatown jewelry store in June, the man, Mangroliya Manojkumar Kurjibhai, acted as a distraction for the shop manager while his accomplice, 30-year-old Serasiya Milan Ramnikbhai, executed a sleight-of-hand swap. The pair had allegedly gone to great lengths to prepare for the theft, even commissioning a counterfeit diamond in India that matched the specific details and serial number of the authentic $154,000 stone.

The daring plan fell apart almost immediately after the duo left the shop. Surveillance footage captured the switch, prompting an immediate investigation that led authorities to arrest the pair at the airport later that same day. While the real diamond was recovered from one of their bags rather than the accomplice's mouth, the evidence was sufficient to secure a conviction. Kurjibhai pleaded guilty and received a sentence of two years, two months, and two weeks, while his accomplice remains in custody awaiting a court hearing this Friday.