Evangeline Lilly stole from The Hobbit set

Evangeline Lilly starred as Tauriel in The Hobbit films.

Actress Evangeline Lilly pocketed a precious rune stone from the set of The Hobbit and told director Peter Jackson she had lost it on a beach.

The actress plays woodland elf Tauriel in the final two films in the trilogy and she was desperate to take home a keepsake to remind her of her time on set.

She decided to pinch a black moon rune stone used in the film when no one was looking, and then concocted an elaborate excuse to convince her angry director that she had lost it.

Lilly tells The Sunday Times Style Magazine, "I pretended to drop it on a stony beach, and we looked and looked for it - but really I had slipped it into my pocket. Peter was not pleased."

- WENN