Jewellery theft suspect coughs up the evidence

Police claim that a man accused of trying to sell a stolen ring coughed up the evidence while officers were questioning him. Pictures of the diamond ring worth $20,000 (£12,000) were circulated among jewellers in Joplin, Missouri, after it was reported stolen from a car on Thursday.

The Joplin Globe reports that the owner of Newton's Jewelry recognized the ring when a man and woman came to his store a few hours after the theft and said they wanted to sell it. L.T. Newton and his staff stalled them and called police.

Police say the man swallowed the ring when officers arrived. While being questioned, he began to cough uncontrollably and eventually coughed up the ring.

The man and woman are charged with receiving stolen property.