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Posted on 07/20/2025 6:58:34 AM PDT by Morgana
An Indian woman was detained in Illinois, US, for allegedly stealing items worth over $1,300 (approximately Rs 1.11 lakh) from a Target store in May. Even as a video of the May incident went viral, the US Embassy in India issued a statement cautioning all visa holders that involvement in crimes such as assault, theft, or burglary in the host country could lead to visa revocation and future inadmissibility. Responding to a question on the shoplifting incident, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has urged all citizens travelling abroad to respect local laws and uphold the country's image, while confirming that over 1,500 Indians have been deported from the US this year.
The video of the woman, reportedly called Alvani, allegedly attempting to shoplift goods went viral. The undated bodycam footage shows the woman being confronted and later detained by the police. The incident reportedly occurred in May.
The incident sparked widespread attention even as the advisory issued this week by the US Mission in India cautioned that committing crimes could not only lead to visa denial but also permanently block future entry into the US.
"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 US visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all US laws," the US Mission said in a post on X on Wednesday, July 16.
The US Embassy last week also issued a strict warning that visa holders found violating American laws or immigration rules would face deportation.
"US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued," the embassy said in a statement posted on social media platform X on Saturday, July 12.
"We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all US laws and immigration rules – and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don't," it added.
Earlier, on July 15, the US State Department, in a statement, also warned that individuals arrested for crimes such as assault, domestic violence, or other serious offences while in the US may face immediate visa revocation and become ineligible for future US visas.
"If you are arrested for assault, domestic violence, or other crimes while in the United States, your US visa may be revoked, and you may be ineligible for future US visas. A visa is a privilege, not a right – one that can be revoked if you break the law," the Department of State Consular Affairs said in the statement issued. US AUTHORITIES DETAINED INDIAN TOURIST AFTER SHE STAYED IN STORE FOR 7 HOURS
Originally shared as an 18-minute vlog by the YouTube channel "Body Cam Edition", the footage has since been broken into shorter clips and widely circulated on social media.
The original video begins with a Target employee stating that the woman spent nearly seven hours inside the store before attempting to exit with a full shopping cart.
"We saw this woman roaming around the store for the last 7 hours," the staffer could be heard in the clip. "She was picking up items, checking her phone, moving between aisles, and eventually tried to walk out the west gate without paying," he further said.
The video shows the woman repeatedly telling the police that she can pay for the items, asking them to "end the matter". However, the officers maintained that the opportunity to pay had passed. "You want to pay for it now, but you weren’t paying for it previously," one officer said.
The incident reportedly occurred on May 1 but surfaced publicly after video of a Target employee confronting the woman went viral.
The woman was handcuffed and taken to the police station.
"Are you allowed to steal things in India? I did not think so," a woman police officer questioning the woman can be heard saying. MEA ASKS PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF VISITING COUNTRY
On being asked about the Indian tourist's arrest in the alleged shoplifting case, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a press briefing on Thursday, urged people who go abroad to follow the law and order of the visiting country.
"Our constant request to all our people who go abroad is that they should follow the law and order of that country and create a good image of the country," Jaiswal said.
The MEA, during the weekly press briefing, also informed that 1,563 Indian nationals have been deported from the US since Donald Trump assumed office as US President for a second term.
"Since 20 January of this year, till yesterday, some 1,563 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States so far," the spokesperson said.
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“Responding to a question on the shoplifting incident, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has urged all citizens travelling abroad to respect local laws and uphold the country’s image.”
If she’s shoplifting in Chicago, she’s certainly holding up the city’s image.
“If she’s shoplifting in Chicago, she’s certainly holding up the city’s image.”
True true, but notice that other races, cultures call out their own?
Deport her to South Sudan.
That is so typical of caught shoplifters.
Claim they were going to pay for it and then offer to in exchange for letting them go.
“True true, but notice that other races, cultures call out their own?”
Good point. That’s the problem with multi-culturalism. When you have multiple cultures, if a person from one culture rips off a person from another culture - that is considered a VICTORY!
There should be no "should," or "could."
Expulsion, permanent visa denial and future entry into US blocked should be mandatory for any foreigner that breaks American laws.
We shouldn’t have anyone from India in America
Risking deportation over Target, but whatever to send her back. Too many rubber stamps. We need to stop all visas, especially student visas, until every last illegal and legal foreigner is gone for 5 years and then maybe we’ll consider visas again.
She’d better be on her way to Bombay
To be fair, she may have seen media reports of people stealing from CA stores with no consequence.
They also should be barred from use of any U S. Based financial institution for life.
Exactly.
I’d rather send her to Bhopal.
Silly woman.
She’s never heard of the quick get away.
Seven hours will get the suspicions up of even Target security flunkies who probably don’t see 90 per cent of the retail theft occurring in their stores.
the bath and body works candle snatchers blow my mind. And its not just this particular case
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PeFkgXT6IA&ab_channel=WUSA9
These are heavy items that easily break and they do start softening up in heat. this ring only stole candles not the other products in the store
I wont even take one candle out of the store without wrapping it.
Committing crimes while visiting a foreign country is a pretty stupid idea.
I can’t even imagine entering a foreign country and stealing. What an outrageous sense of entitlement.
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