Man Convicted after Swallowing $769,500 Tiffany Earrings
October 27, 26
(IDEX Online) - A man has been convicted of robbery and grand theft after stealing two pairs of diamond earrings worth $769,500 from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, and swallowing them after his arrest.
A jury found Jaythan Gilder guilty on October 22, following a trial over the theft at the Mall at Millenia in February 2025, according to the State Attorney's Office for Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit. Sentencing is scheduled for December 7.
Gilder posed as a representative negotiating a jewelry purchase on behalf of a professional basketball player before grabbing merchandise and using force against a store employee as he attempted to escape, prosecutors said.
The stolen earrings comprised an 8.19-carat pair valued at $609,500 and a 4.86-carat pair valued at $160,000, for a combined weight of 13.05 carats. The employee who tried to stop Gilder reportedly suffered visible arm injuries.
Investigators used mall surveillance footage, public-safety cameras and toll records to trace Gilder's vehicle as he traveled toward Texas. Florida Highway Patrol troopers eventually stopped the car on Interstate 10 in Washington County, in Florida's Panhandle, following a traffic violation.
After his arrest, Gilder swallowed the earrings in an attempt to conceal the evidence. According to reports citing the arrest affidavit, he later remarked: "I should have thrown them out the window." He was monitored for nearly two weeks while authorities waited for the jewelry to pass through his system.
Police recovered three earrings on March 10, 2025, and the fourth on March 12. A Tiffany master jeweler checked the serial numbers to confirm they were the stolen pieces before they were cleaned and returned to the retailer.
"This case involved not only a significant financial loss, but also the safety of employees who were confronted with violence while simply doing their jobs," said State Attorney Monique Worrell.
She said the verdict sent a message that violence and theft would not be tolerated in the community, and commended the prosecutors, Orlando Police Department and other law enforcement partners involved in the case.
Pics courtesy Orlando Police Department show the first three earrings and (inset) Jaythan Gilder.