Who is Ananya Avlani? Indian Woman Arrested for Stealing $1300 Worth Items at U.S. Target Store

An Indian woman named Ananya Avlani is under investigation in the United States after allegedly attempting to shoplift over $1,300 worth of merchandise from a Target store in Illinois. The incident occurred at a West Gate location, where staff noticed her acting suspiciously.

7 Hours Inside the Store

According to a Target employee, Ananya spent more than seven hours roaming the aisles, picking up items, and finally attempting to exit the store with a full shopping cart — without paying. Staff called the local police, who arrived at the scene and confronted her.

Incident Caught on Police Bodycam

A police bodycam video of the incident has now gone viral. It shows a Target employee confronting Ananya, accusing her of trying to leave the store without paying. The video also captures her attempting to explain her actions to the police. She offered to pay for the goods and apologized for any trouble caused.

She told officers she was not a U.S. citizen and would not be staying in the country for long. In response, a female police officer asked, “Is it legal to steal in India?”—a line that sparked debate on social media.

Legal Consequences Await

Police later handcuffed Ananya and took her to the station for documentation. While she has not been formally detained yet, felony charges are expected, given the high value of goods involved and the recorded evidence.

Public Reactions Mixed

The video has stirred mixed reactions online. Some users expressed sympathy, suggesting that Ananya may not have understood U.S. laws or shopping norms. Others, however, called the incident shameful, saying it reflects poorly on the Indian diaspora living abroad.

46 year old ANANYA AVALANI goes to visit US and tries to steal from Walmart. But gets caught.

Must be treated well at landing back home my media pic.twitter.com/19YuSkj2Lb

— D_Oldmonk (@craving_demon) July 15, 2025

Ananya Avlani Biography

• Name: Ananya Avlani

• Origin: India

• Incident Date: Mid-July 2025

• Location: Target Store, Illinois, USA

• Accusation: Attempted theft of items worth $1,300

• Current Status: Not formally detained yet; charges pending

• Public Response: Divided between empathy and criticism