Jaythan Gilder, 32, has been convicted of robbery and grand theft after snatching two pairs of diamond earrings worth $769,500 (£570,000) from a Tiffany & Co store in Orlando, Florida, and swallowing the loot in an attempt to hide the evidence from police.
The heist took place at the Mall at Millenia on February 26 last year, when Gilder allegedly posed as a representative negotiating a jewellery purchase on behalf of a professional basketball player. Store employees showed him several expensive pieces, including the diamond earrings, before he suddenly grabbed the merchandise and attempted to flee.
Arrest and Attempt to Swallow Evidence
Gilder used force against an employee who tried to stop him, according to prosecutors. His getaway did not go to plan, however. Investigators traced his vehicle after he fled the shopping centre, with Florida Highway Patrol troopers eventually stopping him on Interstate 10 in Washington County, hundreds of miles from Orlando.
During the arrest, officers noticed Gilder attempting to swallow several objects. Despite their efforts to stop him, he managed to gulp down the suspected stolen jewellery. A trooper subsequently heard him remark that he "should have thrown them out the window", according to the arrest report.
Recovery of the Earrings
Gilder was initially charged with resisting arrest, as officers had not yet recovered the missing earrings. However, a body scan at Washington County Jail revealed the jewellery inside his digestive system. He was transferred to hospital, where authorities monitored him while waiting for the earrings to pass through his body.
The ordeal lasted nearly two weeks before investigators recovered all four earrings. Tiffany's subsequently cleaned and examined the pieces, with the company's master jeweller confirming their serial numbers matched those of the stolen items. The jewellery was then returned to the luxury retailer.
Verdict and Sentencing
Gilder's unusual attempt to conceal the evidence ultimately failed, with a jury finding him guilty of robbery and grand theft following a trial. Florida State Attorney Monique Worrell announced the verdict on October 22, highlighting the danger faced by the shop's employees during the robbery.
"This case involved not only a significant financial loss, but also the safety of employees who were confronted with violence while simply doing their jobs," she said. "This verdict sends a clear message that violence and theft will not be tolerated in our community."
Gilder is due to be sentenced on December 7. The conviction brings an end to a case that began with a luxury jewellery raid and escalated into an extraordinary attempt to hide the stolen diamonds by swallowing them.
