Police had to scan the intestines of Jaythan Lawrence Gilder after he allegedly swallowed $769,000 worth of stolen diamond earrings during a jewelry heist. The 32-year-old suspect was arrested after fleeing a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, where he had posed as an NBA player’s representative to gain access to the high-end jewelry. Security footage captured him grabbing multiple pieces before bolting out of the store, injuring an employee in the process.
Authorities later stopped Gilder’s car on Interstate 10 in Washington County, Florida, while he was allegedly en route to Texas. When officers couldn’t immediately locate the stolen items, they performed an X-ray at the jail, revealing that he had swallowed at least 13 carats of diamonds. A police report stated that officers were waiting for the jewelry to pass through his system to officially confirm their recovery.
Gilder, who already had 48 outstanding warrants in Colorado, has been charged with first-degree grand theft and robbery with a mask. While in custody, he reportedly asked if he would be charged for the stolen goods inside him and later remarked that he should have just thrown them out the window. In addition to the earrings, police recovered a stolen $587,000 diamond ring that had not been swallowed.
The bizarre case has drawn attention not only for the high-value theft but also for the extreme lengths Gilder allegedly went to in an attempt to hide the evidence. With charges piling up and law enforcement keeping a close eye on him—quite literally—his legal troubles are far from over.
