‘People going abroad…’: MEA reacts to Indian woman ‘shoplifting’ from US store

The staff and security at the store grew suspicious after the woman spent more than seven hours at the store

The Ministry of External Affairs reacted to an Indian woman allegedly caught shoplifting in the United States and said that Indians should follow the law and order of the country they are visiting.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told ANI, "Our constant request to all our people who go abroad is that they should follow the law and order of that country, and create a good image of the country."

#WATCH | Delhi | On an Indian tourist reportedly being arrested for allegedly shoplifting in the United States, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "... Our constant request to all our people who go abroad is that they should follow the law and order of that country, and… pic.twitter.com/3S7rppKxX2

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2025

Hours after the Indian woman was caught shoplifting in the United States, the Donald Trump-led country issued an advisory warning against theft or burglary saying their visa could be revoked.

In a post on social media, the US Embassy in India mentioned that indulging in such acts could lead to the revocation of their visa and making them ineligible for US visits in the future.

“Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won’t just cause you legal issues – it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future U.S. visas,” the advisory stated.

“The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all U.S. laws,” it added.

The Indian woman in question was reportedly being interrogated after she was allegedly found stealing things from a Target store in Illinois.

The staff and security at the store grew suspicious after the woman spent more than seven hours at the store. Later, the higher authorities were informed, and the police were called.

Afterwards, it was claimed she attempted to steal merchandise worth around $1,300 from the retail store. The woman later offered to pay for the items she had lifted.