About $769,000 in jewelry has been recovered from a man who police say swallowed it after stealing it from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando.
The Orlando Police Department stated in a March 21 social media post:
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 the hospital before they were able to match the serial numbers on the jewelry with the items that were stolen from Tiffany & Co.
In the words of VCU Detective Aaron Goss, “This case quickly turned into a marathon, not a sprint.”
The suspect, Jaythan Lawrence Gilder, allegedly showed up at the store at the Mall at Millenia on Feb. 26 and claimed to represent an Orlando Magic player. He was taken to a private viewing area, where he snatched the jewelry.
Orlando police said the suspect fled to the parking lot and took off in a car. He was pulled over by the Florida Highway Patrol in Washington County.
While being taken into custody, Gilder allegedly swallowed the jewelry. Police said it showed up in scans after his arrest.
The Associated Press reported that “the suspect was transferred from a jail to a hospital while detectives waited to collect the evidence.” Gilder, 32, “faces charges of robbery with a mask and first-degree grand theft,” according to AP.
Advertisement
Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success
After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone.
Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently.
The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.
