Police: Woman swallows, pawns stolen ring

SALT LAKE CITY, July 11 (UPI) -- Police in Utah said they arrested a woman accused of swallowing a diamond ring and later pawning the stolen item.

Investigators said a worker at the Macy's store in Salt Lake City told police Angela Hardman, 38, asked to try on a $4,100 engagement ring and used lotion to remove it when it became stuck on her finger, the Deseret News, Salt Lake City, reported Wednesday.

However, the worker said the woman handed back the security tag with a counterfeit ring and left before police arrived.

Police said an officer checked surveillance footage and saw Hardman put her hand to her mouth and pull the fake ring from her pocket after getting the real one unstuck from her finger.

Hardman told police she pawned the diamond ring for $600, the report said. She was charged with one count of retail theft, a third degree felony.