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An Indian woman was caught shoplifting from a Target store in the United States. The woman confirmed that she spoke Gujarati and intended to resell some of the goods.
The Indian woman was seen pleading with officers. (Photo: X)
An Indian woman was caught shoplifting at a Target store earlier this year, as per a viral video that emerged recently. The woman, who identified herself as Gujarati, was shaking, sobbing and gasping for air as officers attempted to interrogate her.
As per the video dated January 15, the woman was visibly afraid in front of the police after being caught and appeared unable to speak properly. “Right now, you’re not free to leave,” said the officer, who gently asked her to take a deep breath and not hyperventilate. ” I gotta be able to talk to you, and I can’t talk to you with you breathing like that.”
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When the woman was asked if she spoke English, she said, “Not very good.” Police then asked her about her primary language, which she confirmed as Gujarati. The police asked her whether she had any medical conditions.
When the police asked her the motive for stealing the goods, the woman broke down in tears and could not speak, instead nodding to convey that she intended to resell some of the items taken from the store.
The officer assured the woman that she would not be taken to jail if she provided the correct information, but she would have to appear in court for theft. The officer was told that she was a regular customer at the store, but was caught shoplifting for the first time.
“You cannot come back here ever again. Okay. If you do, you are trespassing. So, we’re going to let you go. We’re going to walk out with you and then you need to leave the Target parking lot,” said the cop.
Target staff showed a CCTV footage of the store, where the woman passed the checkout with a cart full of goods. “So she just put everything in the cart and then just walked past,” an officer said.
Social media users criticised the woman for her act and accused her of “acting” in front of the cops. “As an Indian, I find her super annoying. She thinks she is doing a great job crying. Not a drop of tear coming down,” a user wrote.
“These people are putting a shame on 1.4 billion Indians because of their self interest. We don’t teach these values to our children’s,” another netizen commented. A third person said, “Being an Indian, I feel ashamed for what she did. She should be deported immediately.”
The case emerged nearly two months after an Indian woman was caught shoplifting merchandise worth $1,300 (Rs 1.08 lakh) at a Target store in Illinois after waiting inside for nearly seven hours. 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.”
Prior to this, another case involving an Indian student accused of theft in Texas gained widespread attention. It’s worth noting that shoplifting charges can have serious implications for immigration status, potentially impacting H-1B renewals, green card applications, and even leading to deportation.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
United States of America (USA)
September 08, 2025, 11:31 IST
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