Viral video shows Indian woman apologising to police after shoplifting in US

An Indian woman was arrested by US police after allegedly shoplifting items worth over $1,300 from a retail store in Illinois. The incident went viral after bodycam footage of her arrest was released online, showing the moment she was caught by a store employee.

According to the employee, the woman spent nearly seven hours inside the store and attempted to exit without paying for the items. He told police that staff had observed her walking between aisles, frequently checking her phone and placing goods into her bag.

“She eventually tried to walk out through the west gate without paying,” the employee added.

The woman initially denied the theft during questioning, but later admitted to it, saying she was willing to pay for the stolen items. The arrest was captured on the security officer’s bodycam, which recorded the exchange between the suspect and police.

During the interaction, the woman repeatedly pleaded with officers, stating that she was visiting the United States from India, and that her family was still back home.

When she offered to pay for the goods on the spot, one officer responded, "You want to pay for it now, but you weren’t paying for it previously."

Despite her repeated apologies, she was handcuffed and taken to a police station on felony theft charges.

The exact date of the incident remains unconfirmed, but the video was first shared on July 14 by a YouTube channel named 'Body Cam Edition'. The footage quickly gained traction online, sparking widespread debate.

Many Indian social media users criticised the woman for bringing disrepute to the country, while others suggested the situation might have been a misunderstanding. However, several X  users disagreed, pointing out that her own admission and the way she spoke during the arrest left little room for doubt.

The moment Anaya, also known as JimmiSha, was forced to confront reality beyond her Bollywood-style fantasy world, she could hardly fathom the embarrassment her actions had caused. A 'proud' moment for India indeed. pic.twitter.com/dNqO6WFhsY

— ExposeIT⚡️ (@RealWaKhan) July 14, 2025

Make them disgrace themselves all over the world

This is Anaya Avlani who had gone to America. She entered a store, shopped for 7 hours, stole goods worth 1300 dollars

Their actions were captured on CCTv now they are handcuffed, investigation is going on rounds of questioning🔥 pic.twitter.com/yjhIQOKr0t

— Sanjeev Yadav (@Sanjeev14951299) July 15, 2025

This Indian woman came to visit her family in America and the first thing she does is steal. pic.twitter.com/nuwZGvwAuC

— David Santa Carla 🦇 (@TheOnlyDSC) July 14, 2025

Ananya Avalani (46) visiting the US, was caught stealing from Walmart.

A trip that ended in shame

pic.twitter.com/Nx4ls4bLXE

— Arjun (@arjundsage1) July 15, 2025

An Indian woman was caught shoplifting in US, and racists are of course using it to fuel hate against India.

In US, over 10 million shoplifting cases happen every year, and hardly any involve Indians. Vast majority of Indians in US are law-abiding.

But still, Indians abroad or… pic.twitter.com/6xmElm83Ne

— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) July 16, 2025