79-year-old jewelry thief, subject of Halle Berry movie, arrested at South Coast Plaza

In the decades she spent honing her craft, Doris Payne employed classic elegance, refined taste, Southern charm and a sleight of hand that could earn the envy of a talented magician.

Like the best illusionists, she had a knack for making things disappear.

Payne's life as an international jewel thief is the subject of an upcoming movie, "Who Is Doris Payne?" starring Halle Berry. But given the latest events in Orange County, the filmmakers may want to consider a new ending.

The 79-year-old was arrested on a rainy Friday afternoon on suspicion of grand theft after security guards at the Saks Fifth Avenue store at South Coast Plaza accused her of taking the tags off a Burberry trench coat valued at $1,300 and walking out without paying, said Costa Mesa Police Lt. Mark Manley.

Now in custody without bail for a parole violation, Payne is expected to make her first court appearance today. Though she has had high-end tastes, the allegation that she took a coat is a departure of sorts for Doris Marie Payne, who began life in 1930 in a small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, W. Va.

In a 2008 story in The Times, Payne told a reporter she stole her first diamond in her late 20s, hoping to raise money to help her mother leave an abusive husband. From there, she never looked back.

Payne said she had no idea how many jewels she had stolen but that her career as a thief had spanned the globe from New York and Las Vegas to London, Paris, Monte Carlo and Tokyo.

The formula was simple, she said. Pick a fine store and look like she belonged there. Tell a great story. And, make sure she had pockets, deep pockets, with whatever she wore.

"A clerk would present her with at least five pieces of jewelry, usually emeralds and diamonds. When she decided which to take, she would place it on her finger, making sure the clerk saw it there," wrote Times staff writer DeeDee Correll. "Then she would begin her distractions, discussing other rings on the counter, then asking the clerk to bring more jewelry. Meanwhile, she would slip the ring from one hand to the other. 'I'm going to make sure he sees this hand I had it on is naked.' "

Eventually, improvements in security, helped by technology, caught up with Payne.

In 1999, she was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison after stealing a 5-carat diamond ring from a Neiman Marcus in Denver.

While on parole in Colorado in 2005, she visited other states, taking an $8,500 ring in Nevada and a $31,500 three-stone diamond ring with a platinum band from a Neiman Marcus in Palo Alto, The Times reported. When police interviewed her, Payne admitted stealing the ring, giving them her occupation as "jewel thief."

She was eventually sentenced to two to five years for pawning the stolen Palo Alto ring in Las Vegas, as well as stealing a ring in Nevada.

In the spring of 2008, Payne completed her prison sentence in Colorado and returned to California, where she was released on parole until her arrest.

-- Andrew Blankstein 

Photo: Doris Payne is shown during her incarceration in the Denver Women's Correctional Facility. She is now being held at the Orange County Jail. Credit: Nathan W. Armes / For The Times

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Comments

[Bryan Willams]

This might be wrong, but I think I love her! Look how chic she looks even while languishing in jail..and that she listed her profession as "jewel thief"..genius..and will make for a very entertaining movie..

[Eric]

Does the Times know if Ms. Payne will profit from the movie? It would be a shame if she did.

[aaron]

Dannnnng! grandma is a straight up thief, she doesnt look like one, she looks so sweet.

[BillN]

Glad to see that age is no barrier in OC to bust a thief. Perhaps surrounding counties can pay attention and do their part in apprehending their senior citizen criminals. Older age shouldn't be a form of safe zone.

[frank]

just think of the security position she could of had with a life time as an international jewal thief

[Kenneth Kehl]

Here is a lady who saw nothing wrong in steeling, matter of fact she believed it was a good thing and was proud of it. We don't have to be taught that steeling is alright but rather we have to be taught steeling is wrong. Everyone of us has the knowing what is right and what is wrong and we choose which we will do. I never had to teach a child how to lie but rather I had to teach them that lying was wrong and telling the truth was right. None has a excuss for doing wrong we just choose to do so. This lady should be not to enter our society until she can choose not to steel.

[Mr. Hogan]

She looks harmless, like any other grandmother. Sad she spent her whole life stealing and in and out of prison. I don't think it is nothing to be proud of. She is nothing but a convict.

[leftwing]

Maybe Obama can set her free.

[David]

Is this the best African-American female that Hollywood and Halle Berry can think of to make a movie about? A thief? A shop-lifter? Probably wasn't too theatrical when two Saks loss prevention agents hauled her out in the rain to a waiting patrol car. Wow, can't wait to spend $10 to see that film. Zzzzz. How about a film about true great women, like Mary Seacole or Ida Wells? Look them up, people. Believe me, they make for more interesting reading than an old thief whose only addition to the common good was as a customer at some dive pawn shop.

[Stephen]

Notice how California gave her a slap on the wrist? These type of crimes in the "golden state" will fall under non violent offenders and probably will see little or no jail time. The quake survivors in Haiti are asking for tents to house families. Why can't we house inmates in tents like they do in Arizona? If you don't enforce the law and make people accountable for their actions, you are guaranteed to get more criminal behavior.

[Wicked City Woman]

I wouldn't say she's very successful given that everybody knows her name and her criminal record. She keeps getting caught.

[byanymeans]

Another hero for America! Lets make movie to show how she was a great crook and committed crimes without remorse. But she had an abusive childhood so thats makes it o.k. /facepalm

[bg]

If I own a jewelry store, I think I will hire her as a security guard because she knows all the tricks of stealing. Maybe she can repay her crimes by catching thieves like herself for the store owners.

[bigdad59]

And why is this something to brag about? Because she's black? She's a flipping thief! Period! Give her 25 to Life!

[UH HUH]

MADEA GOES TO JAIL!

[LiliQ]

When thieves are counted are heroic then the youth mold their desires to their role models. Maybe the next movie could incorporate the high jinks of Mexican drug cartels mutilating corpses to impress the youth culture with role modeling elements.

[Detroit]

Dumb old broad. Some people never learn. Now she may died in jail. She should have waited for the movie to come out. The movie makers might have given her a courtesy commission.

[A.Vasquez]

It's a dirty shame how quickly the ignorant among us so quickly point to the color of her skin. The world has always been enamored with bandits (Robin Hood, Bonnie & Clyde, pirates, etc.). And those critizicing Halle Berry and Hollywood for romantacizing it in a bio-pic are not only showing their bigotry but their absent-mindedness as well. Or was Tom Hanks' & Leonardo deCaprio's "To Catch a Thief" O.K. becuase it was just about some white dude.

Shame, shame, shame...

[TRW]

Steeling? Doesn't anyone know how to spell anymore?

I agree with leftwing....isn't there someone who is more of a role model that a movie could be made about?

[Junie Smith]

Like some folks are addicted to drugs and alcohol, this woman is addicted to stealing. Now what does stealing stem from? Stealing stems from greed and laziness.

She looks great to be 79! Just wasted her life in areas that just DO NOT matter.

Hally portraying this woman in an upcoming movie? What a waste!!!!

[J Williams]

Hey Kenneth Kehl,

Maybe before you go off on your rant you should learn how to spell "steal" haha

[Timbo]

I read your discrimination against the youth bare, I like it! They can read things that may concern them, but can't respond. It's a woderful life!

[ABB]

Make a movie about Bernie Madoff too! he's such a cool and sophisticated guy! *NOT!*

[2 cents]

the headline made it sound like the Pink Panther had been caught - turns out she just a shoplifter - 5 years, next case!

[Anna]

what a pathetic society we have become to glorify such trash