Theft Of The Week (12)

Claiming to be interested in buying a set of Tiffany & Co earrings and a diamond ring on behalf of an Orlando Magic basketball player in Florida, a man grabbed the jewellery and drove off in his car. The police obtained his vehicle registration number and he was eventually stopped for driving without rear lights in Washington County, some 340 miles away.

In the police car, an officer heard the suspect say: “I should have thrown them out the window,” and at the Washington County jail he asked staff: “Am I going to be charged with what is in my stomach?” according to the arrest report.

It appears that the thief had ingested some of his loot. While some of the contraband was quickly recovered, the suspect was transferred to a hospital where the long wait began as the earrings made their way down his digestive tract. When they eventually popped out, officers found that the earrings matched the serial numbers of those stolen from the Tiffany store.

After the jewellery was recovered, the arrested man was taken to Orange County Jail where he faces charges of robbery with a mask and first-degree grand theft.

Of course he was right. He should have thrown them out of the window.