Crime & Safety

$770K Earrings Thief Swallowed Found In His Poop, Returned To Tiffany

FL detectives recovered nearly $770,000 worth of Tiffany earrings from a thief who swallowed the jewels during his arrest, police said.

Detectives recovered nearly $770,000 worth of Tiffany & Co. earrings from a thief who swallowed the jewels during his arrest, Orlando police said.
Detectives recovered nearly $770,000 worth of Tiffany & Co. earrings from a thief who swallowed the jewels during his arrest, Orlando police said. (Courtesy of Orlando Police Department)

ORLANDO, FL — A thief who swallowed nearly $770,000 worth of Tiffany & Co. earrings passed the diamonds after more than a dozen days at a hospital, the Orlando Police Department said. (Watch a video of highlights from the case below.)

Once the jewelry passed through Jaythan Gilder's system, the diamonds were cleaned and returned to Tiffany, where a master jeweler reviewed the serial numbers and confirmed the items were stolen from the shop.

Gilder, 32, of Texas posed as an assistant to an NBA player and stole the jewelry from the Tiffany store at Mall at Millenia after being shown the items in a private room on Feb. 26, police said.

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Gilder was pulled over on Interstate 10 in Washington County hours after the theft. He swallowed the earrings as he was taken into custody.

Detectives monitored Gilder during his time in the hospital.

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"This case quickly turned into a marathon, not a sprint,” Detective Aaron Goss said.

Watch a video of highlights from the case below:

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