A jury has found Jaythan Gilder of Florida guilty of robbery and grand theft in connection with a heist at the Tiffany & Co. jewelry store in Orlando. In February 2025, the man stole jewelry worth more than $760,000 and used force against a store employee while fleeing. After police detained him, he swallowed stolen diamond earrings in an attempt to hide the evidence.
The incident took place on Feb. 26, 2025, at the Tiffany & Co. store in the Mall at Millenia in Orlando. According to investigators, Gilder came into the store posing as a representative of a professional basketball player interested in buying expensive jewelry. Employees showed him luxury items, but instead of completing a purchase, the man grabbed the jewelry and tried to flee. When one employee tried to stop him, Gilder used force against the worker and left the store with the stolen items.
Police determined the suspect’s escape route and detained him. During the arrest, Gilder swallowed the stolen earrings, trying to keep officers from finding the evidence. Tests showed the swallowed items were in his digestive tract. Investigators “monitored” the man for nearly two weeks before the valuables were recovered. Once they were, it was confirmed that the jewelry came from the Orlando store.
The jury found the man guilty of two offenses: robbery and theft of property of significant value, known under Florida law as grand theft. A sentence has not yet been announced.
Editor: JŁ
