Gutsy Thief Swallows $770k Earrings, Gets Caught: A Bizarre Case in Florida
Man consumes expensive earrings, X-ray serves as evidence
Get ready for a wild ride! In a jaw-dropping incident, a wannabe Tiffany-style burglar swallows jewels worth over half a million dollars, leading to a bizarre two-week standoff with the authorities.
A 32-year-old man, identified as Jaythan Gilder, allegedly tried to rob Tiffany & Co. in Orlando, Florida, pocketing earrings worth approximately $769,500[1][3][5]. The audacious heist happened in late February, with Gilder posing as an assistant to an NBA star[2]. During the attempted theft, he reportedly snatched the jewel-encrusted earrings and a whopping $587,000 diamond ring[2].
With swift action, the authorities managed to track down the getaway car, resulting in Gilder's arrest. However, before being locked up, Gilder, in an attempt to outsmart the authorities, reportedly swallowed the earrings[2]. Suspecting foul play, the police conducted X-ray examinations, confirming the presence of foreign objects in his stomach[1][2][3].
Gilder was then transferred to a hospital for continuous monitoring, where he stayed for about two weeks as the authorities waited for the earrings to pass through his digestive system[1][2][3]. On March 10 and March 12, they were successfully retrieved from him, and returned to Tiffany & Co. for verification[1][3].
Now, Gilder is chilling in an Orange County Jail, facing charges of armed robbery and first-degree grand theft[1][3][5]. Known to the police, Gilder is also reportedly linked to a similar Tiffany & Co. heist in Texas[2].
In a light-hearted moment, it's said that one of the officers overheard Gilder commenting, "I should have thrown them out the window." While in custody, he also allegedly asked a prison officer, "Will I be charged for what's in my stomach?" Tough luck, buddy! The answer is a definitive yes[2].
References:[1] NTV.de (2025) [http://www.ntv.de/][2] dpa (2025) [http://www.dpa.de/][3] CNN (2025) [http://www.cnn.com/][5] NBC News (2025) [http://www.nbcnews.com/]
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- Despite attempting to outsmart the authorities by swallowing the jewels, Jaythan Gilder, the man involved in the audacious Tiffany & Co. theft in Florida, was eventually charged with armed robbery and first-degree grand theft.
- In a strange yet entertaining turn of events, while in custody, Gilder allegedly asked a prison officer if he would be charged for the foreign objects in his stomach, a question to which he received a definitive yes.
- Reportedly, Gilder's bizarre method of attempting to hide the stolen $769,500 worth of jewelry didn't go unnoticed – he was traced, arrested, and eventually found to have swallowed the earrings, as confirmed by X-ray examinations.
