Indian Woman Caught Shoplifting In US After Waiting 7 Hours: 'Are You Allowed to Steal...'
A viral bodycam footage showed the woman pleading with police officers to let her go and offering to pay for the stolen items. She faces a felony charge.
An Indian woman was reportedly caught shoplifting merchandise worth $1,300 (Rs 1.08 lakh) at a Target store in Illinois, United States. A bodycam footage of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed the interaction between the woman and police officers.
The woman, identified as Anaya, mentions in the video that she was from India. She said she was not from the country and did not have a passport at the time when she was being interrogated. Police officers were heard telling her that she had committed a felony.
News18 could not independently verify the claims made in the video. The woman pleaded with the police officers, saying she had not done anything and was even willing to pay for the items she allegedly stole, but the police officers refused to budge.
According to the description of the video, police were called to Target on May 1 after the woman 'spent hours inside the store stealing items, ultimately attempting to walk out with thousands of dollars in unpaid merchandise."
The woman apologised to the police officers and offered to pay for the items. 'I am really sorry to bother you if it is. I am not from this country. I am not going to stay here."
The woman police officer interrogating the woman replied, 'Are you allowed to steal things in India? I did not think so." The alleged shoplifter then argued that she could not run with so many items and repeatedly offered to pay for them.
A Target employee told the officers that the woman spent seven hours inside the store before trying to walk out the door with a cart filled with items, but she was apprehended soon afterwards.
After reviewing the store bill totalling over $1,300 (Rs 1.08 lakh), the woman was seen being taken to the police station for processing, indicating that she has been charged with a felony. A woman police officer said she deliberately passed all the payout kiosks and took the cart full of items out of the store.
The woman's actions were met with criticism online. 'Being an immigrant, I can't fathom the audacity of being a guest in this country and breaking its laws," a user commented below the YouTube video.
'How is it even logistically possible for someone to spend 7 consecutive hours in one store? Do you just walk around in circles? I'm ready to be out by the 30 minute mark," another person wrote. 'Anyone who spends 7 hours in a store, and doesn't work there, is up to no good," another user commented.
view comments
First Published:
July 15, 2025, 21:16 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
14 minutes ago
- Indian Express
860 FIRs registered, Rs 10 crore penalty imposed in Haryana's ‘biggest crackdown' on illegal mining
Reporter: Varinder Bhatia The Haryana Police announced Wednesday that over 860 FIRs were registered and a penalty of Rs 10.69 crore imposed on violators from January 1 to June 30 this year in what the state government said was its 'biggest crackdown' against illegal mining. During this period, over 1,186 vehicles involved in the illicit activity were also seized, the police added. Divulging details on the crackdown, Amitabh Singh Dhillon, chief of Haryana State Enforcement Bureau, said, 'During the period from January 1 to July 10, 2025, a significant increase in enforcement has been recorded compared to 2024. While a total of 3,039 mining sites were inspected in 2024, this number has reached 3,733 in 2025 so far.' 'Similarly, while 684 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered in 2024, this figure has risen to 860 in the first six months of 2025. Improvement has also been observed in FIR disposal. In 2024, as many as 329 cases were disposed of, while in 2025, the number has already reached 445,' he added. Shatrujeet Kapur, Director General of Police (DGP), Haryana, said illegal mining poses a serious challenge to the state's natural heritage, ecological balance, and law and order. 'The police department and the enforcement bureau are working in coordination, and timely action is being ensured in every district. All commissioners and superintendents of police have been directed to exercise zero leniency in cases related to illegal mining and to take strict legal action against offenders,' he stated. 'In our ongoing crackdown against the mining mafia, 626 individuals were arrested in 2024, whereas in 2025, this number has risen to 754. Likewise, 945 vehicles used in mining operations were seized in 2024, while 1,186 vehicles have been seized so far in 2025. This clearly indicates that the enforcement mechanism has delivered a decisive blow to the logistical system associated with illegal mining,' Dhillon said. Explaining that the penalties imposed so far this year – Rs 10.69 crore, which is 57 per cent more than the penalty amount of Rs 6.78 crore imposed in 2024 – Dhillon said, 'This action has not only succeeded in exerting strong financial pressure on mining mafias but has also proved to be a significant achievement from the perspective of revenue augmentation for the state government.' Elaborating on the methods to prevent illegal mining, Dhillon said, 'The Enforcement Bureau has strengthened its technology-based monitoring system. Measures such as GPS tracking, drone survey, and the formation of special raid teams are ensuring not only the prevention of illegal mining attempts but also the swift arrest of offenders. It is the priority of the Haryana Government that the utilisation of natural resources in the state takes place within legal and environmental boundaries.' DGP Kapur said the state enforcement bureau launched the campaign against illegal mining under the clear directives of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. 'Acting actively across the state under the visionary leadership and strict instructions of the chief minister, the bureau has achieved significant success in establishing effective control over illegal mining.'
The Hindu
14 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Indian student jailed for 35 months in Singapore over construction worker's death
A 22-year-old Indian student was, on Wednesday (July 16, 2025), sentenced to 35 months in prison for causing the death of a fellow Indian national by pushing him into the river while intoxicated. Legha Pawan pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Jasbir Singh, a 33-year-old construction worker, on the night of June 30 last year. The original charge of causing death by a rash act was reduced, and another charge was taken into consideration, according to a Channel News Asia report. Singh, who was married with two young children in India, had been the sole breadwinner for his family. The court heard that both Legha and Singh were intoxicated on the night of June 30 when the incident happened. After Singh was pushed into the river at Clarke Quay, a popular riverside tourism-leisure point, a nearby couple raised alarm. Rescue divers located his body a few hours later. Legha fled the scene and attempted to avoid arrest, however, he was arrested the next morning, the report added. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jheong Siew Yin said Legha knew that the victim was intoxicated and it was 'reasonably foreseeable' that the push would cause grievous hurt. She also pointed out that he fled the scene without helping the victim. The defence lawyer highlighted that no weapon was used, and the push was 'a generic push' not intended to target vulnerable points, the Channel report said. For voluntarily causing hurt that resulted in grievous hurt, Legha could have been jailed for up to five years, fined up to SGD 10,000, or both, it added.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Beaten like dog, thrown out when pregnant: Kerala woman kills baby, dies by suicide; chilling note details sexual abuse by father-in-law
In a tragic case from Sharjah, UAE, a 33-year-old woman from Kerala, Vipanchika Mani, and her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Vybhavi, were found dead in their apartment on July 8. The incident is suspected to be a case of murder-suicide, allegedly linked to prolonged dowry harassment. A suicide note, believed to have been written by Vipanchika and later surfaced on her Facebook account, detailed severe mental and physical abuse. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category healthcare Degree Cybersecurity Healthcare Management Data Science Artificial Intelligence Operations Management others Leadership Data Analytics Design Thinking CXO MBA Technology Data Science Public Policy Product Management Others MCA PGDM Finance Digital Marketing Project Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Lucknow CERT-IIML Healthcare Management India Starts on undefined Get Details Dowry harassment and abuse allegations According to the note, Vipanchika described facing consistent emotional and physical torture over dowry demands. She claimed her in-laws criticised her wedding for not being grand enough and demeaned her for not bringing a car as part of the dowry. They allegedly referred to her as 'homeless' and accused her of begging for money despite her earning a salary. The note also included serious accusations against her husband, alleging sexual abuse inspired by pornography, physical assaults, and being denied food and shelter, including being thrown out of the house while seven months pregnant. She further claimed her husband's father behaved inappropriately with her, and when confronted, Nitheesh allegedly responded, 'I married you not just for myself, but for my father too.' Her head was shaved to make her look less attractive, suggesting a motive driven by complexion-based insecurity, as she was fair-skinned while her in-laws were darker. Live Events Family, legal action and investigation Vipanchika's family has alleged that the incident is not a simple suicide, but a case of 'double murder', accusing the in-laws of prolonged cruelty and mental torture. The Kollam Police have registered an FIR against her husband, sister-in-law, and father-in-law under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. The charges include: Section 85 BNS – Cruelty by husband or relatives Section 108 BNS – Abetment of suicide Section 3 – Penalty for giving or taking dowry Section 4 – Penalty for demanding dowry According to Mathrubhumi, Vipanchika was employed as a filing clerk at a private company in Dubai for the past seven years. Her husband, also working in Dubai, was reportedly living separately. The couple had initiated divorce proceedings prior to the incident. The UAE authorities are conducting a parallel investigation into the deaths. Both the Indian and UAE police are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the case to determine whether it was indeed a suicide or a result of sustained abuse leading to murder.
