In a significant development, detectives in Florida have successfully recovered four diamond earrings stolen from a prestigious Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, with the jewelry valued at nearly $770,000. This recovery occurred two weeks after the suspect was apprehended on the Florida Panhandle highway where he had reportedly swallowed the valuable items during his arrest.
Orlando Police Department announced the retrieval of the last of the four earrings last week. Just a few days earlier, authorities had recovered three of the stolen earrings, in addition to discovering two other diamond earrings that have not yet been identified. The suspect had been transferred from jail to a hospital for the detection and extraction of the jewelry, according to a police statement.
Authorities confirmed that the serial numbers on the recovered earrings matched those of the stolen jewelry from the Tiffany store. Following the successful recovery, the accused, hailing from Texas, has been incarcerated at the Orange County Jail, facing serious charges including robbery with a mask and first-degree grand theft.
During the brazen theft, the suspect had allegedly pretended to be interested in purchasing high-end diamond pieces, claiming they were for an Orlando Magic basketball player. After being led to a VIP room by sales associates to view the items, the suspect abruptly made his move by seizing the jewelry and attempting to flee.
Detectives managed to identify the suspect’s vehicle using footage from shopping mall security cameras, tracing his movements as he ostensibly drove back to Texas. State troopers monitored the car using tag readers on two major highways, the Florida Turnpike and Interstate 10, until they successfully stopped him in Washington County for not having rear lights, over 340 miles from Orlando.
The arrest report details a dramatic moment inside the squad car when the state trooper heard the suspect lament, “I should have thrown them out the window.” Later, at the Washington County Jail, the suspect reportedly asked staff if he would face charges for the contents inside his stomach, unknowingly hinting at the location of the jewelry.