86-Year-Old Jewelry Thief Doris Payne Arrested at Walmart

86-year-old jewelry thief Doris Payne has been arrested again for shoplifting, this time from an Atlanta-area Walmart's pharmacy department.

Payne was allegedly observed Monday at the store putting items from the pharmacy department into her purse and a shopping bag, then trying to leave the store, NBC News reported. Payne claimed she had taken medication before coming to the store and just forgot to pay for the items.

“Thieving was the farthest thing from my mind,” she told NBC News in a phone interview Tuesday. “I have a money card with $7,000 on it.”

Payne, who is estimated to have stolen $2 million in jewelry during her lifetime, said she is negotiating a book and movie deal about her life. A documentary called “The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne” is on Netflix.

Payne was taken to the City of Chamblee Jail, booked on a shoplifting charge, and released. She was wearing an ankle monitor from a previous charge.

All of the items were returned to the store, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Payne was banned from all Atlanta-area malls in March after stealing a $2,000 necklace.

Twitter had varying opinions about the jewel thief.

Doris Payne is a living legend and should be treated as such. https://t.co/nCqHI1TsXX

— Boom Shaka Chameleon (@connichameleon) July 18, 2017

At this point, I don't know why Doris Payne is a free woman.

— Mika 🐀 (@TMikaMouse) July 18, 2017

Doris Payne got caught down at a Walmart too? That's beneath her. *sigh*

— Kasey (@bastylefilegirl) July 18, 2017

• Doris Payne, 85, Jewelry Thief, Arrested Again in Atlanta
• Doris Payne, 86-Year-Old Jewelry Thief, Banned from Atlanta Malls