Who is Ananya Avlani? Indian Woman Arrested for Stealing $1000 Worth Items at Target Store

Ananya Avlani, an Indian woman traveling to the US, is being investigated for allegedly stealing something from a Target store. Her unusual behavior alerted staff, who called the police after she lingered in the Illinois business for more than seven hours. According to authorities, she is suspected of robbing the retail chain of goods worth about $1,300. A Target employee is seen accusing her of spending hours in the store and trying to leave with a cart loaded with goods in a recently leaked police bodycam video.

A Target employee revealed that Ananya Avlani wandered throughout the store for seven hours. She picked up items, roamed between the aisles, and attempted to check out of the store's West Gate without paying. 

The woman attempted to settle the dispute with the police and offered to pay for the goods. From the video, it looked like Ananya put up an act and decided to apologize if her theft disturbed those present in the store. She even went on to claim that America wasn't her home nation and that she won't be staying here after a while. In response, the female police officer asked the woman, "Is it legal to steal in India?"

The cops examined the bill, put her in handcuffs, and brought her to the station for documentation. She hasn't been detained yet, but charges are expected because of the footage, which shows that she is facing felony charges. Online opinions on the video are varied. A few comments have shown empathy, raising the prospect of a cultural misinterpretation. On the other hand, some have described the occurrence as extremely embarrassing for the Indian population living overseas.

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