A Texas man is facing felony charges in Florida after allegedly stealing over $750,000 worth of jewelry from a Tiffany & Co. store at the Mall at Millenia in Orlando.
Jaythan Lawrence Gilder, 32, was arrested in Washington County, Florida, following a high-speed chase with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). The arrest came after an investigation by the Orlando Police Department (OPD) into a brazen theft at the luxury jewelry store.
According to the affidavit for an arrest warrant, Gilder entered the Tiffany & Co. store on February 26th and expressed interest in purchasing a large quantity of jewelry. He was escorted to a private viewing room, where he was shown two pairs of diamond earrings and a diamond ring with a total value of $769,500.
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Gilder suddenly grabbed the jewelry and attempted to flee, injuring a store employee in the process. He escaped with the two pairs of earrings but dropped the diamond ring during a struggle.
Gilder fled the scene in a blue Mitsubishi Outlander with a Virginia license plate. OPD detectives, using surveillance footage and public safety cameras, tracked the vehicle as it traveled through Florida. The vehicle was eventually spotted by FHP troopers driving without taillights.
During the traffic stop, Gilder was arrested for resisting arrest. He was also observed swallowing several items, which are suspected to be the stolen earrings. A search of the vehicle revealed the clothing Gilder wore during the theft, as well as the Virginia license plate and a screwdriver.
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Gilder is currently being held in the Washington County Jail on charges of resisting arrest and is also wanted on 48 outstanding warrants in Colorado.
He will be extradited to Orange County, Florida, to face charges of Robbery with a Mask and Grand Theft in the first degree.
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