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Indian tourist held in US shoplifting case
In the wake of the incident, the US Embassy in India issued a warning to visa holders about serious consequences of criminal offenses in the United States.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 17, Jul 2025
- 16:46 EDT
- 6
Indian tourist caught stealing / BodyCamEditon
An Indian tourist was detained in the United States after allegedly shoplifting merchandise worth nearly $1,000 from a Target store.
The accused, identified in media reports as Avlani, was reportedly caught on surveillance and police bodycam footage attempting to leave the retail outlet without paying for a cartload of items.
Also Read: Four jailed for burglaries targeting Indian homes in London
The incident, captured in a video uploaded by YouTube channel BodyCamEdition, shows the woman being confronted by law enforcement officers and pleading to pay for the goods.
“Why can’t I just pay for it?” she asks in the video. An officer replies, “We’re way, way, way past that. You committed a felony.” When she insists there is “no harm” in paying now, the officer responds, “It would have been fine if you didn’t leave, right? You would have had that opportunity to pay. But because you left the store at that point, you chose to not pay for it, and we can’t go back.”
The video has since gone viral, amassing over 835,000 views and generating wide discussion online. According to the footage, the woman had reportedly spent several hours inside the store before attempting to exit with unpaid merchandise.
Following the incident, the US Embassy in India issued a statement on social media platform X, warning visa holders about the serious legal and immigration consequences of criminal activity in the United States.
“Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won’t just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas,” the embassy stated. “The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws.”
Under U.S. state laws, theft involving items valued over $950 can be prosecuted as felony shoplifting. For foreign nationals, such offences may result in visa cancellation, removal proceedings, or long-term inadmissibility into the United States.
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