Indian woman shoplifts from Target store in US, police question her; video goes viral

The social media clip, which is dated January 15, shows a woman trying to catch his breath and on the verge of choking.

Police officials interrogate her and ask her about her country of origin.

She answered Gujarat, India and also told the cops that she can't speak in English fluently.

"Do me a favour, take a big breath as deep in as you can. You gotta take a deep breath. Do not hyperventilate. Cause I gotta be able to talk to you, and I can't talk to you with you breathing like that," one officer told the woman as quoted by NDTV.

The officer also asked her whether she had any medical conditions as she was in a state of hyperventilation.

Another officer was seen scanning the CCTV footage that shows she walked past the checkout with a car full of items.

Store staff said the woman, who said she had a Washington-issued driver's license, was a regular customer at the Target but this was the first she shoplifted.

In another similar incident that had gained quite traction on social media earlier this year, a widely shared bodycam video depicted an Indian tourist, identified as Jimisha (or Avlani), spending nearly seven hours inside a Target store in Illinois, during which she allegedly filled shopping bags with merchandise worth around $1,300 (approx. ₹1.1 lakh) before attempting to leave without paying.

When confronted, she offered to pay—“But if I’m paying for it, what is the harm?”—but officers explained she had already committed a felony by walking out without payment.

India's Ministry of External Affairs urged Indians traveling abroad to obey local laws to maintain a positive image of the country.

The U.S. Embassy in India issued a warning that crimes like theft or assault can lead to visa revocation and ineligibility for future U.S. entry.