Man convicted of stealing $760,000 Tiffany diamond earrings
A Florida jury found a man guilty of robbing a Tiffany & Co. store after he swallowed the stolen earrings to hide them from police.
At a glance
- Gilder was convicted of robbery and grand theft related to the February 2025 theft
- He posed as a representative for a professional basketball player to gain access to expensive jewellery
- He swallowed the earrings during a police stop to prevent their discovery
- Investigators recovered the earrings and confirmed they matched the stolen items
A jury in Florida convicted Jaythan Gilder of robbery and grand theft on Thursday following a trial over a February 2025 theft at a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando. Gilder entered the store claiming to represent a professional basketball player interested in purchasing jewellery, then grabbed diamond earrings valued at more than $760,000 and fled. One employee was injured during the incident.
Investigators tracked Gilder's vehicle across Florida using surveillance footage. When stopped by state troopers in Washington County, Gilder swallowed several objects in an attempt to conceal evidence. A body scan revealed the stolen earrings in his digestive system, and investigators later recovered and confirmed the items matched those taken from the store.
Why it matters
The case highlights how law enforcement uses forensic techniques and surveillance to solve high-value theft cases and recover stolen property.
Original reporting
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