A tourist trip to the U.S. turned into a legal nightmare for Jimisha Avlani — and it’s all caught on bodycam.
On July 13, footage of Illinois police confronting the Indian woman inside a Target store in Schaumburg went viral — and not just for what she did, but for what she said after being detained.
Avlani had reportedly spent over 7 hours inside the store, pushing around a shopping cart filled with merchandise, some of it with the tags already removed. Security staff noticed her suspicious behavior and that she had a carry-on suitcase with her, and eventually called police.
When officers arrived, she was still inside — and what followed was jaw-dropping.
Despite reportedly taking $1,300 worth of goods, Avlani continued to insist to police that she could “just pay now and leave.” One officer replied bluntly:
“We’re way, way, way past that. You committed a felony. Are you allowed to steal in India?”
Avlani claimed she had been on a call and didn’t realize she had passed the “last point of sale.”
But the damage was already done — not just legally, but potentially immigration-wise. In Illinois, theft over $300 is a felony, and U.S. authorities don’t take that lightly.
Just three days after the video exploded online (now at 1.2 million views), the U.S. Embassy in India issued a sharp reminder:
“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.”
With retail theft up 93% since the pandemic, this case struck a nerve — and sparked a wave of angry, shocked, and divided reactions online.
What do you think? Should she be allowed to stay, or was justice served? Drop your thoughts below 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
