$769,500 Earrings Recovered By US Police After Man Swallows Them

In an unusual recovery, Orlando police retrieved two sets of diamond earrings, valued at a total of $769,500, after the suspect, 32-year-old Jaythan Gilder, allegedly swallowed them over two weeks prior during his arrest on February 26, the BBC reported. 

Detectives monitored Gilder at an Orlando hospital for over 12 days until the stolen earrings passed through his system, according to the Orlando Police Department.

He is facing charges of robbery with a mask and first-degree grand theft.

Tiffany & Co. has since cleaned the recovered earrings.

Authorities claim Gilder posed as an assistant to an NBA player to gain access to a VIP room at a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, on February 26, where he was shown high-end jewellery.

He allegedly distracted store employees before fleeing with two pairs of earrings. As he ran, he reportedly dropped a diamond ring worth $587,000.

Shoutout to our detectives in the Violent Crimes Unit!

After a long and laborious investigation involving stolen jewelry, they were able to recover over $769,000 worth of earrings swallowed by the suspect.

Detectives monitored Jaythan Gilder for more than a dozen days at… pic.twitter.com/GFoPjkCURo

— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) March 21, 2025

Later that day, officers apprehended Gilder and allegedly saw him swallowing several objects believed to be the stolen earrings.

According to police, while being transported to jail, he was heard saying, "I should have thrown them out the window," as reported by CBS News.

Once at the jail, he allegedly asked staff, "Am I going to be charged with what's in my stomach?"

Police later released an X-ray image showing a foreign object inside an individual's abdomen.

The Orlando Police Department stated that Gilder was taken to a hospital and monitored for nearly two weeks until the earrings were recovered.

Detective Aaron Goss remarked that the case "quickly turned into a marathon, not a sprint."

On March 12, police announced they had recovered the fourth Tiffany & Co. earring.

Upon the earrings' return to Tiffany & Co., the store's master jeweller confirmed that the serial numbers matched those of the stolen pieces, according to Detective Goss.

Gilder is currently being held at the Orange County Jail.

Authorities allege his criminal history includes a 2022 robbery at a Tiffany & Co. store in Texas.

Additionally, he has 48 outstanding warrants for his arrest in Colorado.