All the stars caught up in shoplifting scandals (2024)

There are plenty of celebrities that have been accused of shoplifting over the years - landing themselves in hot water with the petty crime.

From Richard Madeley to Winona Ryder and Antony Worrall Thompson, a host of unexpected stars have got themselves into trouble.

And on Wednesday it was reported that Coronation Street starJimmi Harkishin has been banned from a store in Manchester after being accused of theft - which he has insisted was a 'misunderstanding'.

The actor, 59, who reportedly earns a six-figure salary on the soap, denied stealing a pot of paint after being confronted last week at the warehouse at Cheetham Hill in Manchester.

According to The Sun, police were not contacted, but Jimmi was issued with a letter banning him from the store.

So as the new reports about Jimmi emerge, MailOnline takes a look at all the stars who have been accused of shoplifting over the years:

Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson

In 2012 Anthonyissued a grovelling apology after being caught shoplifting from Tesco.

He pledged to 'seek the treatment that is clearly needed' following a caution from police for sneaking out cheese and wine without paying.

Worrall Thompson, a father of four, stole from the store five times over the Christmas period before being confronted by security guards in front of shoppers.

The now 73-year-old former star of Ready Steady Cook described the thefts as 'stupid and irresponsible' and said he was 'devastated' for the family and friends he had let down.

He also apologised to staff at the store in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, where he has shopped for many years.

Worrall Thompson, whose restaurant business went into administration in 2009, was filmed on the store's cameras using the self-service checkout machines.

He was said to have been caught ordering blocks of cheese at the delicatessen counter and taking bottles of wine, but putting only some items through the scanner and walking out with the rest.

Security staff were said to have filmed him in the act several times so they could be certain that it was not a genuine mistake.

Worrall Thompson in his apology: 'I am so sorry for all my recent stupid and irresponsible actions.

'I am of course devastated for my family and friends, whom I've let down, and will seek the treatment that is clearly needed.

'I am not the first, and I certainly won't be the last person to do something without rhyme or reason – what went through my head, only time will tell.

'Of course, I must also apologise sincerely to Tesco, with whom I'm had a long and genuine working relationship, and to all the staff at the Henley branch, many of whom I've got to know over the years.

'Once again, I am so sorry and hopefully in the future I can make amends.'

In a rambling interview at the time, the chef admitted on one occasion he stole bread and two pack of discounted coleslaw.

On another occasion, he paid £180 for three crates of champagne and then stole £4 of goods.

He said he did not need the money and was comfortably well off, so could not fathom why he had stolen low-price and discounted items.

Worrall Thompson was arrested on suspicion of theft and cautioned. He was taken to a police station and had his photograph and fingerprints taken, along with a DNA saliva sample.

He was questioned about shoplifting on five occasions at the Tesco superstore between December 22 and January 6.

The total value of the goods taken was £70.68.

Winona Ryder

She shocked Hollywood when she was caught shoplifting from a Beverly Hills department in 2001.

In 2016 in an interview she said she believed her conviction was blown out of proportion, but conceded it gave her an opportunity to take a much-needed break from the film industry.

Speaking toPortermagazine, Winona, now 52, spoke about going through a difficult time in her life when she was arrested in Saks Fifth Avenue in December 2001.

She said: 'Psychologically, I must have been at a place where I just wanted to stop. I won't get into what happened, but it wasn't what people think.

'And it wasn't like the crime of the century!

'But it allowed me time that I really needed, where I went back to San Francisco and got back into things that... I just had other interests, frankly.'

Winona enjoyed a quiet few years following her conviction, but admitted she couldn't turn her back on acting for good.

She explained: 'You can't do something for that long and hate it! People associated me with the 1990s and I wasn't that anymore. And they didn't really buy me as my age.

'It's that line in First Wives Club – 'There are three ages for women: babe, district attorney and Driving Miss Daisy!' I just never got to play that district attorney.'

Richard Madeley

Madeley was arrested for allegedly shoplifting in 1994.

The TV presenter was arrested for allegedly failing to pay for items, including champagne, on two occasions at a Tesco supermarket in Walkden, Greater Manchester.

A jury later found him not guilty of the offence after citing a lapse of memory.

He told The Sun last year:'Thank God Twitter wasn't around then. But the whole thing was so self-evidently b****cks, that my not paying was an oversight. It was leaked by someone at Tesco.

'At the time though I thought, 'Well, of course it's going to be OK because otherwise the world's gone mad'. I never felt I was going to get cancelled; Granada Television were fantastic. And the Monday after they found out, and knew the facts of the case and knew it was rubbish, they told me not to worry.

'We carried on as normal. I went to crown court, my lawyer told me to get in front of a jury so people could see it was an obvious oversight. So that's what I did. And I was absolutely acquitted.

'But I told viewers about it. I mean, Judy had to open This Morning on her own while I was in court for two minutes, then I'd get in my car and drive from Manchester to Liverpool, rock up, walk on the set while she was mid-interview, and sit down and join in. It was surreal.

'After the trial, it was as if it had never happened. I've never really spoken about it because as I said at the start of this interview, when you're on camera you're only one sentence away, and you can so easily get it wrong.'

He was later acquitted of all shoplifting charges after citing lapses of memory.

Speaking about the incident to The Guardian in 2008, Richard said that it originally happened by mistake when he forgot to put Champagne through the till alongside his food shop.

He said: 'I was just not concentrating. I put the food through the till, I forgot to take the champagne out.

'It was, I can handle anything, I can juggle eight balls in the air, and actually I came a horrible cropper. I can joke about it now.'

Jimmi Harkishin

On Wednesday it was reported thatCoronation Street starJimmi Harkishin has been banned from a store in Manchester after being accused of theft - which he has insisted was a 'misunderstanding'.

The actor, 59, who reportedly earns a six-figure salary on the soap, denied stealing a pot of paint after being confronted last week at the warehouse at Cheetham Hill in Manchester.

According to The Sun, police were not contacted, but Jimmi was issued with a letter banning him from the store.

Jimmi has played Dev Alahan on Coronation Street since 1999, and has previously starred in films East Is East and Bhaji On The Beach.

A source said: 'He was taken to the back room and held there for ten-15 minutes.

'The cameras were watching him the whole time and the staff weren't bothered about who he was. He was treated just like everyone else.'

Jimmi said: 'This was a misunderstanding over a sample pot of paint bought from elsewhere,' and he is looking into an appeal.

A representative for B&Q declined to comment when contacted by The Sun. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Coronation Street and B&Q for comment.

In 2004, Jimmi was arrested and cautioned for allegedly swapping price tags on clothes at a clothes shop in north London.

Just weeks later, the star was forced to take a break from Corrie after being pictured taking cocaine, and sought treatment for his drug problems.

A spokeswoman said at the time: 'Both Granada and Jimmi Harkishin recognise that he has some problems that he needs to sort out.

'He will be taking a break from the show while he seeks help to deal with those issues.

'This is with the full support of the company, Coronation Street and his colleagues.'

Granada did not consider sacking Harkishin despite newspaper revelations.

The spokeswoman said: 'There was never any question of him being sacked.

'We are a responsible employer and we have a duty of care to our employees. The pressures Jimmi has been under are a result of him appearing in our show. We will help Jimmi to seek the help that he needs.'

Amanda Bynes

In 2014 actress Amanda was 'caught by security' at Barneys New York on Madison Avenue after she left the store with a $200 hat she did not pay for.

Even though staff at the luxury department store were said to have called police, the What A Girl Wants star was not taken into custody and was let go after being questioned.

She did however agree to never return to the store again.

According to sources, the LA native was 'nabbed by security guards after she tried to leave without paying.'

Law enforcement sources claimed 'she put on a $200 hat and walked out of the store and security nabbed her outside.'

Witnesses have accused the star of 'acting crazy.' Four NYPD officers were claimed to have 'arrived on scene to question her.'

Adding more drama to the already bizarre incident, Bynes said she wanted to buy the hat, and was going to get her wallet out of the car but got flustered because a fan was snapping pictures of her in the store.

She said she had no intention of stealing.