Singapore tourist jailed after diamond theft attempt involving fake gemstone swap

Tuesday 21 July 2026 - 11:45

By: Sahili Aya

Singapore tourist jailed after diamond theft attempt involving fake gemstone swap

A tourist from India has been sentenced to more than two years in prison in Singapore after taking part in an elaborate attempt to steal a valuable diamond by replacing the genuine stone with a counterfeit replica.

The case involved a 4.95-carat diamond valued at around €135,000, which became the target of a carefully planned operation at a jewelry store in Chinatown, Singapore. A court sentenced Mangroliya Manojkumar Kurjibhai, 41, to two years, two months and two weeks in prison after he pleaded guilty to his role in the attempted theft.

According to court documents, Kurjibhai and his alleged accomplice, Serasiya Milan Ramnikbhai, 30, visited the jewelry shop on June 19 while staying in Singapore as tourists. Investigators said the pair had prepared a fake diamond designed to resemble the original stone before arriving in the country.

The alleged method relied on distraction and substitution. While Kurjibhai reportedly engaged the store manager by asking to view other jewelry items, Ramnikbhai allegedly replaced the authentic diamond with the imitation stone. The real gemstone was then concealed and removed from the store.

The attempt was discovered after surveillance footage helped investigators reconstruct the events inside the shop. The two suspects were later arrested at the airport on the same day, preventing them from leaving Singapore with the stolen item.

Authorities recovered the diamond, which was reportedly found inside one of the suspects’ bags. Ramnikbhai remains in custody and is expected to appear again before the court as legal proceedings continue.

The investigation revealed that the counterfeit gemstone had reportedly been produced in India with characteristics matching the original diamond, including its identification details. However, investigators have not disclosed how the suspects obtained information about the authentic stone before carrying out the attempted theft.

The case has drawn attention in Singapore due to the unusual method used by the suspects and highlights the challenges faced by luxury retailers in protecting high-value assets against increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts.