Tiffany & Co. Earrings Swallowed Following Grab-and-Run Theft Recovered
The two pairs of earrings, snatched from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, are valued at a combined $769,500.

Jaythan Lawrence Gilder, 32, of Houston, Texas, is accused of stealing nearly $800,000 worth of jewelry from the Tiffany & Co. store at the Mall of Millenia in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 26, and then swallowing them during a traffic stop.
Orlando Police Department detectives recovered three of the four Tiffany & Co. earrings, as well as two other unidentified earrings about two weeks later, on March 10.
The final earring was recovered on March 12, said officials.
Detectives Aaron Goss and Tiffany Perez from the department’s Violent Crimes unit recapped the investigation in a video shared to the department’s Facebook page.
“After the diamonds were expelled from his system, we were able to bring the diamonds to Tiffany’s where they were cleaned and where its master jeweler looked at the inscription or serial numbers on the diamonds and confirmed they were the very diamonds that were stolen on the 26th,” Goss said.
Tiffany & Co. did not respond to questions about what it plans to do with the recovered diamonds.
Goss commended his fellow officers who spent time waiting at the hospital where Gilder was admitted for the diamonds to pass through his system.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit filed in the case, an employee of the Tiffany & Co. store told police that Gilder posed as a representative for an Orlando Magic player who was looking to purchase diamond earrings and a diamond ring.
Due to the high value of the items, two employees led Gilder into a private viewing room, showing him a pair of 4.86-carat diamond solitaire earrings ($160,000), a pair of 8.19-carat diamond solitaire earrings ($609,500), and a 5.16-carat diamond solitaire ring ($587,000).
During the consultation in the viewing room, an employee told police Gilder jumped out of his seat and grabbed the jewels, injuring one employee as he fled with the two pairs of earrings, the affidavit states.
Detectives identified the getaway vehicle, which they say was making its way to Texas.
Gilder was stopped by Florida Highway Patrol hours later due to a traffic violation, as he was said to be driving without functioning taillights.
As Gilder was being taken into custody, he swallowed several items, suspected to be the stolen jewelry, the affidavit states, and a live scan at the Washington County Jail confirmed there were foreign objects in his stomach.
At the time of his arrest, Gilder was held on resisting charges separate from this incident and 48 separate “failure to appear” warrants from the state of Colorado.
He is being charged with grand theft in the first degree and robbery with a mask.
After searching his criminal history, police found he had been charged with a “near identical” robbery/theft of a Tiffany & Co. store in Woodlands Township, Texas, in 2022, the affidavit notes.
The Latest

“Shell Auranova” is the next generation of the brand’s bridal line, featuring half-bezel engagement rings with bold and fluid designs.

Boucheron and Pomellato performed well in an otherwise bleak quarter for Kering amid struggles at Gucci.

Designer Deborah Meyers created her birds from oxidized sterling silver, rose-cut diamond eyes, and Akoya Keshi pearl feathers.

Six new retail businesses were selected for the 2025 program, which began in January.

The company said it expects sightholders to remain “cautious” with their purchasing due to all the unknowns around the U.S. tariffs.


Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

Simon Wolf shares why the time was right to open a new office here, what he looks for in a retail partner, and why he loves U.S. consumers.

The risk of laboratory-grown diamonds being falsely presented as natural diamonds presents a very significant danger to consumer trust.

A third-generation jeweler, Ginsberg worked at his family’s store, Ginsberg Jewelers, from 1948 until his retirement in 2019.

The company failed to file its quarterly reports in a timely manner.

The organization also announced its board of directors.

Charms may be tiny but with their small size comes endless layering possibilities, from bracelets to necklaces and earrings.

Located in Valenza, the now 355,000-square-foot facility includes a new jewelry school that’s open to the public, Scuola Bulgari.

Paola Sasplugas, co-founder of the Barcelona-based jewelry brand, received the Fine Jewelry Award.

A platinum Zenith-powered Daytona commissioned in the late ‘90s will headline Sotheby’s Important Watches sale in Geneva next month.

The basketball stars wear men’s jewelry from the “Curb Chain” collection.

The Signet Jewelers-owned retailer wants to encourage younger shoppers to wear fine jewelry every day, not just on special occasions.

The 21 pieces, all from a private collector, will be offered at its Magnificent Jewels auction next month.

Lilian Raji answers a question from a reader who is looking to grow her jewelry business but has a limited marketing budget.

GCAL by Sarine created the new role to sharpen the company’s focus on strategic partnerships and scalable expansion.

The Indiana jeweler has acquired Scottsdale Fine Jewelers in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“Cartier: Design, Craft, and Legacy” opened earlier this month at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Van Cott Jewelers in Vestal, New York, is hosting a going-out-of-business sale.

Industry veteran Samantha Larson has held leadership roles at Borsheims, McTeigue & McClelland, Stuller, and Long’s Jewelers.
The two organizations will hold the educational event together this fall in Mississippi.

The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

The Ukrainian brand’s new pendant is modeled after a traditional paska, a pastry often baked for Easter in Eastern European cultures.