Thief posing as NBA representative swallows Tiffany jewellery worth $770,000

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A man who posed as a representative for an NBA player allegedly swallowed stolen jewellery worth nearly $770,000 from a Tiffany & Co. store, according to police reports.

Jaythan Gilder, 32, of Houston, Texas, is accused of robbing the jewellery store at an Orlando mall on February 26.

Gilder, posing as a negotiator for an Orlando Magic player, entered the store dressed in a red hat, Polo shirt, and ripped jeans.

Source: X

Inside, he was taken to the VIP room, where he grabbed two pairs of diamond earrings valued at $160,000 and $609,500, along with a $587,000 diamond ring. When staff attempted to intervene, Gilder allegedly became violent, injuring an employee as he struggled to escape, taking the earrings with him. However, the ring was dropped during the scuffle.

Gilder fled the store and was later tracked down by police, who pulled over a vehicle matching his description. Upon arrest, Gilder allegedly swallowed several items, which police suspect were the stolen earrings. He was later taken to jail, where a scan showed several foreign objects in his stomach.

Gilder is facing charges of grand theft and robbery with a mask, though he was not wearing a mask during the robbery, but was wearing items that concealed his identity. He is also suspected of being involved in a similar robbery in Texas in 2022. Additionally, Gilder has multiple warrants for his arrest from Colorado.