Hong Kong, Jul 28 (IANS): A man was suspected of having swallowed diamonds worth $6 million when he was robbing a jewellery shop in Hong Kong, authorities said on Friday.

The incident occurred in the shop located in a office building in the city's busy Central District on Thursday afternoon, when most of the staff were away for lunch and only one female employee was in the store, reports Xinhua news agency.

The employee opened the door for the robber, who falsely claimed to purchase diamonds, and was punched and kicked by him.

The robber tried to open the safe, triggering the security system.

The female employee was found lying unconscious on the floor, while the suspect was found hiding in the store room.

The police found on the man eight diamonds valued at $5.4 million in total, and nine others which he had swollen.

Initial investigation showed that the man, holding a Jordanian passport and arriving in Hong Kong on a tourist visa, had been in the shop for a while earlier Thursday, apparently for scouting.