Central Florida Man Convicted in Unusual Jewelry Theft at Mall at Millenia

A man from Central Florida, Jaythan Gilder, has been convicted of robbery and grand theft stemming from a peculiar jewelry theft at the Mall at Millenia, according to the State Attorney’s Office. The incident took place in February 2025 when Gilder, posing as a buyer for a professional basketball player, attempted to steal jewelry valued at over $760,000 from Tiffany & Co.

After fleeing the store, law enforcement traced Gilder’s vehicle to Washington County, Florida. Upon being pulled over, officers observed him attempting to ingest the stolen jewelry. Despite efforts to prevent this, he managed to swallow the items, which were later discovered during a body scan at the local jail. Officials verified the return of the stolen diamonds to Tiffany’s after Gilder expelled them from his system. Gilder’s sentencing will take place at a later date.