The store where Winona Ryder was arrested for shoplifting

This is the store where actress Winona Ryder was arrested for shoplifting.

It is located at 9600 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California.

On December 12th, 2001, Ryder was arrested after she attempted to steal more than 20 items of clothing and accessories from this Saks Fifth Avenue department store.

Security cameras showed her walking through the store and gathering up various items, which cost more than $5,500 in total.

Ryder was caught after the security manager became suspicious of her behavior and sent one of his guards to keep an eye on her. Not long after, she headed towards the changing rooms, where she was seen trying to cut a security tag.

After leaving the changing rooms, the actress headed back to the checkout, where she purchased some of the items. She then proceeded to head towards the exit.

However, as she was leaving the store, members of the security team stepped in and apprehended her.

At first, she claimed that she thought her personal assistant had paid for the goods. This was despite the fact that she had clearly entered the store by herself.

Shortly afterwards, she changed her story and told an employee that she was simply rehearsing for the role of a shoplifter.

At the time of Ryder's arrest, the Los Angeles District Attorney was a recently-elected prosecutor named Stephen Cooley.

During his election campaign, Cooley claimed that the previous District Attorney, Gil Garcetti, was too soft on celebrities and rich people.

Realizing that he now needed to show how different he was, he assembled a team of eight prosecutors and proceeded to charge Ryder with felony charges of grand theft, shoplifting, vandalism, and burglary.

After a highly publicized court case, the actress was eventually found guilty of all charges except burglary.

In December 2002, she was sentenced to three years of probation and 480 hours of community service.

Photos

Photos of the store and other related images.

Saks Fifth Avenue

This Google Street View image of Saks Fifth Avenue was taken in August 2022—more than twenty years after Ryder's arrest.

Arrest

Two members of the security team caught Ryder after she left the store carrying the stolen goods. She was then escorted back inside.