It provoked widespread reaction in the United Kingdom, including a diplomatic intervention at the behest of the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and across the world in general.
On 28 May 1970, Moore was conditionally released and flew to join his teammates in Mexico, where he played in all of England's World Cup matches.
England left their forward base in Mexico City on 18 May and arrived in the Colombian capital Bogotá, checking into the Hotel Tequendama.
Located near the foyer of the hotel was a gift shop selling jewellery, known as the Fuego Verde (Green Fire).
They were standing in the foyer when the assistant in the shop, Clara Padilla, came out and accused them of stealing a valuable bracelet from a display case.
Both Ramsey and Moore rejected this idea, as they felt it would indicate wrongdoing, and England took their arranged flight back to Bogotá.
[3] As it became clear that Moore might be detained for some time, Ramsey decided that, with the start of the World Cup just a few days away, he had to go on to Mexico without his captain.
Neither Bobby Charlton nor Peter Thompson were arrested, despite their presence in the shop at the time of the incident, and they left the hotel along with the rest of the squad and boarded the plane.
[4] The public relations problems of the English were further complicated when Jeff Astle, who hated flying, had several drinks to calm his nerves.
In light of the special circumstances, it was arranged that, rather than be sent to one of the city's prisons, Moore was kept under house arrest at the home belonging to the Director of the Colombian Football Federation Alfonso Senior.
In Britain there was massive press interest in Moore's wife Tina, who was shortly due to go out and watch England play in Mexico, and she was followed by a crowd of journalists wherever she went.
[8] The former Brazil coach João Saldanha observed that when he had stayed at the hotel with his team Botafogo they had experienced a similar incident – in which jewellery had been hidden on them and money demanded in order to avoid a scandal.
Confused by the conflicting claims, Justice Dorado arranged for the authorities to stage a re-enactment of the incident with Moore and Padilla.
[11] Harold Wilson hoped that a strong performance by England at the World Cup would boost the chances of his governing Labour Party being re-elected in the 1970 General Election.
Wilson was so concerned by Moore's arrest that he requested repeated lobbying of the Colombian government by the British embassy in Bogotá.
[12] Moore was given a conditional release that required him to report to the Colombian consulate in Mexico, although this was abandoned soon afterwards, with an official stating "It was an accusation that needed proof.
[13] Moore arrived in Mexico City and then flew on to Guadalajara, where the English were preparing to play their opening match against Romania on 2 June.
Moore was taken back to the England team hotel where he was greeted by the other players lined up in a guard of honour to applaud him.