Fla. man swallows nearly $1 million in jewelry while getting arrested for allegedly stealing it

ORLANDO, Fla. (TCN) -- A 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly pretending to represent an NBA player, then stealing over $700,000 worth of earrings from a Tiffany & Co. and swallowing the jewels during his arrest.

According to the arrest affidavit, on Feb. 26 at 1:45 p.m., Orlando Police Department officers responded to the Mall at Millenia regarding a strong-arm robbery at Tiffany & Co.

The primary officer spoke with the store manager, who said the suspect, Jaythan Gilder, walked into the famous jewelry store without an appointment and asked to see two pairs of diamond earrings and a diamond ring. He allegedly claimed he was in the store on behalf of a player for the Orlando Magic, so two store associates brought him to a VIP room due to the value of the jewels. The earrings cost $769,500 combined and the ring was valued at $587,000.

While in the back room, Gilder allegedly got up, grabbed the earrings and ring, and attempted to "leave the VIP room by violently pushing and pulling the doors open." The doors, however, would not open. An employee tried to stop Gilder, but Gilder "violently" pushed and pulled his arms "while attempting to leave." The employee managed to "slap away the ring" from Gilder’s grasp, and it fell to the floor. The other associate in the room was "frozen in disbelief."

Gilder reportedly then opened the doors and fled through the store and toward the food court.

The officer determined after watching surveillance footage that "the jewelry was taken by force and fear, not solely a theft with resisting a merchant or battering a merchant."

Gilder fled the area in a blue SUV, which police tracked using public safety cameras. Police learned the car had been rented in Houston and saw that it was traveling on "the fastest route to take back to Texas."

Florida Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on the SUV at 7:55 p.m., but Gilder resisted. Troopers arrested Gilder, and he "swallowed several items" as he was being taken into custody. A scan from the Washington County Jail reportedly showed "foreign objects" in Gilder’s stomach, which police believe are the two pairs of earrings. The affidavit says the objects must pass through Gilder’s system first before officials can confirm.

Investigators searched Gilder’s car and found clothes matching those he was wearing at the Tiffany & Co. and price tags for the earrings.

While at the Washington County Jail, Gilder reportedly asked, "Am I going to be charged with what’s in my stomach?"

He also allegedly said in the patrol car, "I should have thrown them out the window."

Gilder allegedly committed a “near-identical robbery/theft” from another Tiffany & Co. in Texas in 2022. Gilder has 48 outstanding arrest warrants in Colorado as well. Gilder is now in custody at the Orange County Jail in Orlando.

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