Orlando Police Retrieve $770,000 Earrings Swallowed by Suspect
Orlando authorities have recovered two pairs of diamond earrings, valued at approximately $769,500, after a suspect allegedly ingested them over two weeks prior.
Jaythan Gilder, 32, is accused of swallowing the Tiffany & Co. earrings around February 26, coinciding with his apprehension, according to police reports.
Detectives monitored Mr. Gilder at an Orlando medical facility for over ten days until the jewelry was naturally expelled, the Orlando Police Department stated.
Gilder is facing charges including robbery with a mask and grand theft in the first degree.
Tiffany & Co. has since cleaned and reclaimed the recovered earrings.
Alleged Jewelry Heist at Tiffany’s
According to police allegations, Gilder impersonated an assistant to a National Basketball Association (NBA) player to gain access to “high-end jewellery” within a private VIP area at a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, on February 26.
Authorities claim Gilder then distracted store personnel and fled the premises with two pairs of earrings. أثناء فراره من المتجر، أسقط المشتبه به أيضًا خاتمًا من الماس بقيمة 587 ألف دولار.
Upon apprehending him later that day, officers witnessed Gilder “swallowing several items believed to be the stolen earrings,” police reports indicate.
Officials transporting Gilder to jail reportedly overheard him remark, “I should have thrown them out the window,” according to CBS News, a US news partner.
At the detention facility, Gilder purportedly questioned staff, “Am I going to be charged with what’s in my stomach?”
Earrings Recovered After Hospital Monitoring
Police subsequently released an X-ray image appearing to depict a foreign object within an individual’s abdomen.
The Orlando Police Department stated they transported Gilder to a local hospital and monitored him for approximately two weeks until the stolen earrings were retrieved.
Detective Aaron Goss described the investigation as a “marathon, not a sprint,” highlighting the extended efforts required.
On March 12, authorities confirmed the recovery of the fourth Tiffany & Co. earring.
Upon returning the earrings to Tiffany’s, a master jeweler confirmed that serial numbers on the pieces matched those of the stolen items, Goss stated.
Suspect in Custody, Facing Multiple Charges
Gilder is currently detained at the Orange County Jail.
Law enforcement officials indicate his criminal history includes a robbery at a Tiffany & Co. store in Texas in 2022.
Additionally, there are reportedly 48 outstanding arrest warrants for him in Colorado.