Detectives in Florida have recovered four diamond earrings from a man who allegedly swallowed them during his arrest. The earrings, valued at nearly £600,000, were taken from a Tiffany & Co store in February.
The suspect claimed he wanted to buy the jewelry for an Orlando Magic basketball player when he entered the store. After being shown the items, he suddenly grabbed them and tried to escape. Store staff quickly alerted the police, who used security footage to track the suspect’s vehicle.
The man was pulled over about 340 miles away in Washington County for driving without rear lights. During the traffic stop, he was overheard saying, "I should have thrown them out the window." Once at the jail, he asked if he would be charged for what was in his stomach.
After his arrest, the suspect was taken to a hospital where police monitored him until they could retrieve the earrings. Detectives confirmed that the recovered jewelry matched the serial numbers of the items stolen from the Tiffany store.
Following the recovery of the earrings, the man was transferred to Orange County Jail. He now faces serious charges, including robbery with a mask and first-degree grand theft. The case has highlighted the lengths some individuals will go to in order to commit theft, raising questions about security measures in high-end retail environments.