The latest in Florida’s never-ending news cycle? A $769,500 jewelry heist and a thief who evidently deemed the safest place to hide the evidence was his stomach right here in Orlando.
An Orange County jury found Jaythan Lawrence Gilder guilty of robbery and grand theft Thursday, Oct. 22, more than a year and a half after he made off with two pairs of diamond earrings from the Tiffany & Co. store at Orlando’s Mall at Millenia, according to a release from 9th Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell.
The February 2025 heist began when Gilder entered the store posing as a representative of a professional basketball player looking to purchase some high-end jewelry. Employees escorted him into a private viewing room, where he was shown several pieces, including two pairs of diamond earrings valued at $160,000 and $609,500.
Rather than reaching for his wallet, Gilder grabbed the earrings and fled, using force against a store employee who attempted to stop him, according to authorities.
His getaway didn’t last long. Florida Highway Patrol troopers stopped Gilder on Interstate 10 in Washington County, and he allegedly attempted to dispose of the evidence by swallowing the stolen jewelry, according to Worrell.
At the county jail, Gilder reportedly asked staff, “Am I going to be charged with what’s in my stomach?” A subsequent scan revealed the expensive answer.
Detectives spent nearly two weeks monitoring Gilder before recovering all four earrings, which were cleaned and authenticated by Tiffany & Co. using their serial numbers.
Worrell announced the conviction on Oct. 22, emphasizing that the robbery also put store employees at risk.
And in a final twist worthy of the “Florida Man” canon, Gilder reportedly hails from Houston, Texas.
