Celebrities Who Can’t Resist Their Jewelry

We know many stars don’t own the jewelry they wear to galas and awards ceremonies, but sometimes the line between borrowing and theft gets blurred when it comes to famous jewels and celebrities.  Lots of pieces are worn for the public appearance and then returned to the vault for the jeweler to reclaim.  The company gets free publicity for allowing a star to borrow something spectacular and the piece itself has a minor claim to fame since a celebrity wore it. However, some celebrities are being charged with theft, when many claim they simply borrowed the jewelry.

Winona Ryder

Remember when Winona Ryder borrowed close to $125,000 worth of jewels from Bulgari in the form of a diamond bracelet and ring?  She wore them to an event in Madrid and claimed she left them with the hotel staff to keep in their vault until staffers from Marie Claire magazine, which sponsored the event, could retrieve them.  Hotel management, however, said they did not receive the jewelry and even security films had no footage of Ms. Ryder handing over her borrowed gems.

You might recall that Ms. Ryder had a previous issue with theft.  In 2001, she shoplifted almost $5,000 worth of merchandise from Saks Fifth Avenue resulting in 3 years of probation and 480 hours of community service for the movie star.

Lindsay Lohan

Winona Ryder at least attempted to hide her alleged theft.  Some claim Lindsay Lohan is much more brazen, allegedly walking out of a Venice, CA jewelry store with $2,500 worth of gold and jewels around her neck that she didn’t purchase.  She claimed the necklace had been loaned to her by the store and that her stylist didn’t return it in a timely manner.  Security footage shows Ms. Lohan wearing the piece as she browsed the store.  An assistant to Ms. Lohan turned it in to the police shortly before investigators served her a warrant that would have allowed them to search her home.

Ms. Lohan is currently on probation for a DUI incident in 2007.  Besides the alleged theft, there was an incident with a staff person at the Betty Ford Clinic during the star’s court-ordered rehab.  The judge has warned her that one more slip-up and she’ll be sent to jail for 6 months.  The judge appears to be a fan since the majority of probation violators don’t get a warning and a second chance. This new mix-up with the law could cause more problems for her. The practice of borrowing jewelry is rampant, but for stars already in trouble with the law it can be a tricky issue.

Until she’s arraigned, Ms. Lohan is expected to keep a low profile to avoid arrest.  Since she is well known and therefore easily recognized, any sighting by police could result in a trip to jail for the star.  But that’s only one of several possible scenarios.  She could turn herself in and wait for the arraignment in jail, but since she claims to be innocent that seems unlikely. Ms. Lohan was charged with felony grand theft and if she’s found guilty she could spend as long as 3 years in jail. She has pleaded “not guilty.”