Shoplifters come in all shapes and sizes. Adults steal, employees steal, even teenagers and children steal. You wouldn’t expect those who are considered rich and famous to be categorized as shoplifters, but a number of celebrities have participated in the act. Take a look at some of the most popular celebrities who have gone after the most commonly stolen goods.
Lindsey Lohan – The “Mean Girls” star shoplifted a $2,500 necklace, which she claims to have taken out on loan from a Venice, California jewelry shop. The store has no record of her using their loan policy. Lindsay was court ordered to take shoplifting classes and participate in 360 hours of community service.
Winona Ryder - In 2001, Winona Ryder shocked the world when she was caught trying to make it out of Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills with more than $5,000 worth of merchandise. The actress was convicted of grand theft felony and vandalism, given three years probation, and assigned to 480 hours of community service. In addition, the court ordered Ryder to pay $6,355 in restitution to Saks and to undergo psychological and drug counseling.
Britney Spears – Brit allegedly stole a wig from the Hustler store in Hollywood after being denied the opportunity to try on a pair of underwear. Spears proceeded to remove her own undergarments and try on a pair of “Barely Legal” panties in the middle of the store. After being forced to pay for the tampered-with garment, Britney paid with a credit card and swiped a wig off of a mannequin upon heading out of the store.
Farrah Fawcett – The late “Angel” wasn’t as innocent as appearance would lead you to believe. Fawcett was arrested twice in 1970 for stealing clothing from boutiques. Both times, she had gone into the store to exchange defective clothing. Exchanges were against the boutiques policy, so Farrah took it into her own hands to return her unwanted items and take the items she wanted in exchange.
Kristin Cavilarri – This Laguna Beach gal was known for hanging around the wrong crowd, and was caught stealing merchandise from Tawny K. clothing store in Orange County. The owner of the store, Tawny Kitaen of Whitesnake video fame, did not press charges against Kristin, leaving her criminal record squeaky clean.
Peaches Geldof – Geldof, a famous journalist and model, has been involved in a number of shoplifting incidents. In 2007, she set off alarms when walking out of a store wearing a coat she hadn’t paid for. It was also rumored to have stolen various items of clothes and jewelry from a magazine photo shoot. The following year, she was accused of swiping undergarments and a £500 dress from a shop in South London. Her shoplifting continued in 2011 when she was caught pocketing £70 worth of make-up while strolling around Boots, a British pharmacy chain. Luckily for her, she has managed to escape charges on all counts, although she has been banned from Boots.
Bai Ling - Chinese-born actress Bai Ling, best known for her appearances on the television series Lost and Entourage, was arrested on Valentine’s Day 2008 for pocketing two celebrity magazines and pack of batteries at the LA International Airport. In an interview with E! News, Bai explained that she had just broken up with her boyfriend and was very upset at the time. In court, she pleaded guilty to the charge of disturbing the peace and was fined $200.
Megan Fox - Actress and model Megan Fox had a penchant for shoplifting as a teen, and apparently helped herself to candy and gum from convenience stores without getting spotted by security. Eventually she was busted while trying to pocket a $7 tube of lip-gloss from Wal-Mart. She is still nominally banned from the supermarket chain.
Tila Tequila - In April 2010, Tila was caught stealing snacks from CVS. While she made it out of the store undetected with the stolen items, she posted a video of the event on her blog with the comment “Now I can certify myself a REAL GANGSTA! LOLOLOL.” Authorities later found the evidence and charged Tila with shoplifting.
Ke$ha – Prior to the release of “Tik Tok,” Kesha was extremely poor. She would steal food from dollar stores in order to eat, and sell clothes on the street to make money for food. Once her quirky pop hit was released, it quickly flew to a number one spot in the charts, and she became a millionaire over night.
Shelley Morrison - Shelley Morrison, an actress famous for her role in the TV show Will & Grace, admitted to stealing $446 worth of costume jewelry from the Robinsons-May department store in 2003. Fortunately for her, since she had no prior record, and was only sentenced to one year of probation and fined $300.
Claude Allen - A former advisor to President George W. Bush, Claude was accused of stealing $5,000 worth of products from Target and trying to collect refunds on them. Allen initially denied the charges, but eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years of probation, 40 hours of community service, and a $500 fine. He was also ordered to pay $850 directly to Target.