Tiffany Thief Who Swallowed Earrings Faces December Sentence

Jaythan Gilder will be sentenced in December after a Florida jury found him guilty of grand theft and robbery. The conviction stems from the theft of diamond earrings valued at more than $760,000. Prosecutors in the state attorney’s office for Florida’s ninth judicial circuit announced the guilty verdict last week.

The incident began on February 26, 2025, at a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando. According to the prosecutor’s office, Gilder posed as a representative negotiating a purchase for a professional basketball player. He grabbed the merchandise and attempted to leave the store. He used force against an employee during the escape. Gilder also tried to take a ring, but an employee slapped it out of his hand. The ring was recovered at the scene.

Florida Highway Patrol officers stopped Gilder after the robbery. They noticed items in his mouth that he was trying to swallow. Gilder was arrested, and prosecutors say he swallowed the stolen earrings to hide the evidence. A body scan at Washington County Jail revealed foreign objects suspected to be the Tiffany jewelry.

Authorities monitored Gilder for nearly two weeks. They waited for the jewelry to pass through his system. Once the diamonds were expelled, officials brought them to Tiffany & Co. A master jeweler examined the inscriptions and serial numbers. The jeweler confirmed the diamonds matched the items stolen on February 26. The diamonds were then cleaned.

State Attorney Monique Worrell commented on the verdict in a statement. She noted that the case involved both a major financial loss and the safety of employees who faced violence while working. Worrell stated that the verdict sends a clear message that violence and theft will not be tolerated in the community.

The trial concluded with a guilty verdict for both grand theft and robbery. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for next month. Gilder remains in custody pending that date. The recovered earrings are part of the evidence in the case.