In an outrageous heist straight from a Hollywood script, a Florida thief swallowed nearly $770,000 worth of Tiffany & Co. diamond earrings during his arrest. Law enforcement’s extraordinary two-week recovery effort reveals just how far criminals will go when cornered. Was it worth it?
At a glance:
• Suspect Jaythan Gilder posed as an NBA player’s assistant to gain access to high-end jewelry at a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando
• The thief snatched four diamond earrings worth nearly $770,000 and fled the store
• Police tracked the suspect 340 miles away using mall security footage and highway tag readers
• When arrested, Gilder swallowed the stolen earrings to hide evidence
• After a 12-day hospital monitoring period, all four earrings were recovered and returned to Tiffany & Co.
Elaborate Jewelry Heist Scheme
When Jaythan Gilder entered a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, claiming to be an assistant purchasing jewelry for an Orlando Magic basketball player, he probably wasn’t expecting that he’d have to swallow the extraordinarily expensive good he was about to steal. Authorities quickly launched a manhunt after Gilder grabbed the precious items and fled the upscale retail location.
Store employees escorted the suspect to a VIP room to view the exclusive collection of diamond earrings worth a staggering $769,500. When attempting to steal an additional ring valued at $575,000, Gilder was confronted by a store employee who was injured during the altercation.
Detectives have recovered four diamond earrings from a suspected thief two weeks after he gulped the Tiffany & Co. jewelry worth nearly $770,000 during his arrest on the side of a highway in the Florida Panhandle, authorities said. https://t.co/0lYcY7WxIF
— ABC News (@ABC) March 22, 2025
Dramatic Pursuit and Arrest
Orlando Police detectives used shopping mall security footage to identify the suspect’s vehicle and track his escape route. Tag readers on highways helped authorities pinpoint Gilder’s location as he traveled 340 miles away to Washington County, Florida.
Florida Highway Patrol officers ultimately pulled over Gilder for driving without rear lights, unaware they were apprehending a high-value jewelry thief. During the arrest, officers noticed the suspect had items in his mouth, later discovering he had swallowed the stolen diamond earrings.
“I should have thrown them out the window,” Gilder was heard saying after his arrest. The suspect also questioned officers, asking, “Am I going to be charged with what is in my stomach?”
Detectives have recovered four diamond earrings from a suspected thief two weeks after he swallowed the Tiffany & Co. jewelry worth nearly $770,000 during his arrest on the side of a highway in the Florida Panhandle, authorities said Friday. https://t.co/WunV7nmO7q
— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) March 23, 2025
Extraordinary Recovery Effort
A body scan revealed foreign objects in Gilder’s digestive system, prompting authorities to transfer him from jail to a hospital for monitoring. Orlando Police Detective Tiffany Perez described the dedication of law enforcement personnel during the unusual evidence collection process.
“We worked together tirelessly for days on end, taking different shifts at the hospital, leaving our families, just so we can get this case settled and Tiffany’s back their property,” said Detective Perez. The painstaking 12-day monitoring period eventually yielded all four stolen diamond earrings, along with two additional unidentified diamond pieces.
Serial numbers on the recovered jewelry matched those recorded by Tiffany & Co., confirming they were the stolen items. Gilder now faces serious charges including robbery with a mask and first-degree grand theft and remains held at Orange County Jail awaiting trial.
