Dr Jan was asked to comment on channel Nine Mornings TV Show!
Stars seem to have it all. But for some, fame and fortune just isn’t enough. They want more, and they’re willing to take it!
“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Kim Richards is the latest celeb apparently caught red-handed.
She was busted allegedly trying to shoplift more than 100 items from Target. She has pleaded not guilty and will face court on 20th of August.
So, what drives the rich and famous to seek out five finger discounts? Is it just for a thrill, or is it a cry for help?
Q1. Dr Jan, actress Winona Ryder was caught out shoplifting at a high-end department store in 2001.
But it’s not like she would have been short of cash. What drives a celebrity to steal?
- They gamble on not being caught and if they do, they think it won’t matter and they won’t get into too much trouble because they’re a celebrity.
- It could be a cry for help… They go into a trance.
- Winona Ryder… The actress was convicted of grand theft felony and vandalism, given three years’ probation, and assigned to 480 hours of community service. In addition, the court ordered Ryder to pay $6,355 in restitution to Saks and to undergo psychological and drug counseling.
Q2. In 2011, Lindsay Lohan got busted for shoplifting a 2,500-dollar necklace.
Why would she do it, when she’s in the public eye?
- There is a sense of entitlement, I’m special, I’m above the law. They don’t think they have to face the same consequences that other people would.
- It’s like a naughty kid, there is impulsive behaviour and they don’t know the boundaries.
- Lindsay was court ordered to take shoplifting classes and participate in 360 hours of community service.
Q3. The late “Charlie’s Angel” Farrah Fawcett was arrested twice back in the 70s for stealing clothes.
When someone has a repeated urge to steal, is it a sign of a more serious problem?
- Shopping is a common side effect of bipolar behaviour.
- Prescription drugs can also cause someone to do this.
- They have to get treatment, it’s not good enough saying I’m sorry.
- Farrah Fawcett… was arrested twice in 1970 for stealing clothing from boutiques. Both times, she had gone into the store to exchange defective clothing. Exchanges were against the boutiques policy, so Farrah took it into her own hands to return her unwanted items and take the items she wanted in exchange.
Q4. It seems to be mostly female celebrities who get caught shoplifting.
Why are women the main offenders?
- It all comes down to ego, entitlement and adrenalin. So both male and female celebrities could be shoplifters.
- Women like shopping, we are collectors. Retail therapy does soothe the nervous system. We get more stressed then men and seek out what soothes us.
It’s more socially acceptable for a women to accumulate things, material goods, than a man.
That’s why you will see so many cases of female stars shoplifting.
