Fact Check: After Indian Woman Caught Shoplifting In US, Old Video From Mexico Is Viral

A video of a woman in handcuffs on her wrists is being circulated online, with users claiming that she was caught red-handed in the United States while stealing clothes. In the video she is being labelled as 'Anaya Avalani' - an India tourist who was caught shoplifting at Target.

The user on X posted the video with the description, "India's reputation is resonating. Let the whole world witness the disgrace...This Anaya Avalani went to America. She entered a store, shopped for 7 hours, and stole goods worth 1300 dollars. Her actions were caught on CCTV, now with handcuffs on her wrists, the investigation is ongoing with rounds of questioning."

भारत का डंका बच रहा
करवाओ पूरी दुनिया में बेइज्जती करवाओ..

ये अनाया अवलानी है जो अमरीका गईं थीं। एक स्टोर में घुसीं, 7 घंटे शॉपिंग किया, 1300 डॉलर का सामान चुराया

CCTV में इनकी हरकतें कैद हुई, अब हाथों में हथकड़ी, सवाल जवाब के दौर के साथ इन्वेस्टिगेशन चल रही है pic.twitter.com/90BbvR23XC

— A K Bhohariya (@k54176) July 15, 2025

Another user posted the same video, claiming, "A Gujju in America". 

However, NDTV found that the video being circulated is misleading and does not involve the Indian tourist. It was actually posted by a Mexican news platform called Record on 1st May, 2025, with the headline, "Woman fakes pregnancy to steal pants and T-shirts from Coppel". 

A Youtube channel called 'EIUniversalMex' had also shared the video on 5th May, with the description, "A woman pretended to be pregnant to shoplift clothes, but was caught red-handed. The incident quickly became a trend on social media."

The original video of the Indian tourist recently surfaced, where the footage of a police bodycam shows a Target employee accusing her of spending hours in the store and attempting to leave with a cart full of items.

"We saw this woman roaming around the store for the last 7 hours. She was picking up items, checking her phone, moving between aisles, and eventually tried to walk out the west gate without paying," the staffer says in the clip. 

The case has garnered attention online, with the video circulating across social media platforms, sparking discussions about shoplifting, visa status, and the legal consequences for international visitors in the US.

Moreover, the accused gave a false name to the officer, to probably avoid trouble. When the officer demanded her to hand over her passport or identification, she asserted that she did not have her ID at the time and gave out a wrong name - Anaya. She was finally identified as Jamisha.

Jamisha Avalani was visiting the US to meet family members.