Atlanta Police Nab 85-Year-Old International Jewel Thief
ATLANTA - Fulton Magistrate Judge Cassandra Kirk is defending why an 85-year-old woman with a long, documented criminal history was granted a $2,500 bond.
According to Atlanta Police, Doris Payne was stopped by a loss prevention officer inside Phipps Plaza around 4:30 p.m.
Payne allegedly slipped a pair of $690 diamond earrings into her pocket from the Christian Dior inside Saks Fifth Avenue. The incident was reportedly caught on surveillance video.
The loss prevention officer detained Payne inside the mall and reported finding the stolen earrings in her pocket.
Atlanta Police arrested Payne and took her to the Fulton County Jail.
Payne was the subject of a 2013 documentary titled "The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne." According to the film's summary, Payne has stolen $2 million worth of jewels over her 60-year career.
Payne is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Fulton County on November 6. She is also wanted in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina for allegedly stealing a $33,000 engagement ring from SouthPark Mall in Charlotte.
Payne bonded out of jail on Wednesday. Judge Kirk said the bond was only $2,500 because the prosecution did not make the court aware of Payne's long-standing criminal past.