A video-grab shows a man using a fishing rod at a jewellery store.

Gulf Today Report

In the 17th century, British writer Izaak Walton wrote a book called ‘The Compleat Angler.’ The book, which celebrates the joys of fishing, was an instant success, riveting the attention of anglers and nature lovers.

But even Walton perhaps would not have imagined, in his wildest dreams, that nearly 370 years later, a fishing rod would be used for totally dubious purposes.

In an incident that has baffled policemen in Australia, a thief has been caught on camera hooking a gold necklace with a fishing rod in a brazen nighttime theft from a designer store.

 Screen-grab of the thief.

The thief, captured on CCTV, broke the store window in Melbourne's central business district before using a fishing rod to hook the Versace necklace, local police said on Wednesday.

But it took the inner-city angler nearly three hours to land his catch.

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After first attempts with a smaller rod failed, the man decided to get a bigger rod, eventually snagging the gold $700 piece from a mannequin's neck in a crime police described as – until now – unseen.

"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," Victoria Police Senior Constable Bede Whitty said.

Police released the footage as they attempt to net the balding, middle-aged thief.