The South African reality star and her husband, Petrus Viljoen, were arrested after allegedly stealing $5,300 worth of groceries from a local Publix
Credit: Palm Beach County Sheriff Office
NEED TO KNOW
- The Real Housewives of Pretoria star Melany Viljoen and her husband Petrus Viljoen were arrested on Tuesday, March 10 for allegedly shoplifting thousands of dollars of groceries
- The couple were charged with larceny coordinated with another person, totaling greater than $3,000, after allegedly stealing over $5,300 worth of groceries from the Publix on South Federal Highway in Boca Raton, Fla., from August 2025 through March 2026
- The two are both being held on a $10,000 bond, each, according to arrest records reviewed by PEOPLE
The Real Housewives of Pretoria star Melany Viljoen and her husband Petrus Viljoen were arrested on Tuesday, March 10, for allegedly shoplifting thousands of dollars of groceries from Publix.
Melany, 39, and Petrus, 57, were arrested by Boca Raton police on Tuesday, and charged with larceny coordinated with another person, totaling greater than $3,000. The two are each being held on $10,000 bond, according to arrest records reviewed by PEOPLE.
The South African reality personalities were arrested during a traffic stop while they drove their black Range Rover, the same vehicle allegedly believed to have been used to commit the thefts, local outlet 12 News reports, citing Boca Raton Police.
The couple were charged after they allegedly stole over $5,300 worth of groceries from the Publix on South Federal Highway in Boca Raton, Fla., from August 2025 through March 2026, the outlet reports, citing authorities.
Credit: Palm Beach County Sheriff Office
Surveillance footage from the Publix location allegedly showed the couple committing “ticket-switching” tactics, local outlet WPBF reports, citing a police report. By utilizing this tactic, the couple scanned cheaper barcodes instead of the more expensive items they were actually purchasing. They were also allegedly seen on security footage leaving the store with full carts after bypassing the self-checkout lane.
Investigators reported that 392 items went unscanned, citing surveillance footage and transaction data, reports 12 News. The CCTV footage showed 369 of those items going unscanned.
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Credit: Palm Beach County Sheriff Office
Melany and Petrus allegedly worked together, with Petrus often distracting store employees while she committed the thefts, WPBF reports, citing the affidavit. The couple allegedly admitted to police that they were the people seen in the CCTV footage. Melany told police she acted solo and without the help of her husband, the outlet reports, but officers wrote in their report that evidence showed otherwise.
PEOPLE has reached out to Boca Raton Police, and the case remains under investigation.
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