Authorities in Florida are investigating a bold jewelry heist at Tiffany & Co. in Orlando’s Mall at Millenia, where a man allegedly stole nearly $800,000 worth of diamond earrings while posing as an NBA player’s representative, according to Kktv.com.
On Feb. 26, Jaythan Gilder, 32, of Houston, Texas, entered the store claiming his name was “Shawn” and that he was shopping for an Orlando Magic player, per reports. According to police, he requested to see high-value items, including diamond earrings and a diamond ring. Given the estimated worth of the jewelry – exceeding $1 million – Gilder was granted access to a private VIP viewing room.
A man posed as an NBA player to gain access to pricey jewelry at a Tiffany & Co. store in Florida,
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) March 7, 2025
then he swallowed $769K in stolen jewelry. 😳 pic.twitter.com/51QIOKio9P
Once inside, Gilder allegedly grabbed two pairs of diamond earrings valued at $160,000 and $609,500. In the chaos of his escape, Gilder injured a store employee and dropped a 5.61-carat diamond ring worth $587,000 before fleeing in a vehicle.
Florida State Troopers stopped Gilder later that day – nearly 300 miles away – for a traffic violation. Inside his car, investigators found Tiffany & Co. earring forms and price tags, though the stolen earrings were missing. Suspicion grew when Gilder, while being booked into jail, reportedly asked:
“Will I be charged for what’s in my stomach?”
Medical scans later confirmed foreign objects inside his body, believed to be the stolen jewelry.
According to Hype Fresh, Gilder was later overheard saying:
“I should have thrown them out the window.”
NEW: Man accused of eating $700K worth of Tiffany jewelry during heist in Orlando
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) March 5, 2025
Jaythan Lawrence Gilder, 33, from Texas, claimed to represent an Orlando Magic player
Gilder was eventually taken to a VIP room where he was shown several pieces of jewelry totaling nearly $1.4… pic.twitter.com/Bau8tAI3Om
Authorities soon uncovered his history of theft, including a similar 2022 incident at a Tiffany & Co. store in Houston. Reportedly, he also faces 48 outstanding warrants in Colorado.
Gilder is now charged in Florida with robbery with a mask and first-degree grand theft. He awaits extradition to Colorado, while authorities monitor the recovery of the ingested jewelry, which remains key evidence in the case.
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