Winona Ryder: Shoplifter Interrupted?
by Mark Armstrong
Dec 13, 2001, 1:20 PM PT
Reality bites, indeed: Actress Winona Ryder has been arrested for allegedly
shoplifting items from a Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills.
The 30-year-old star of Girl, Interrupted (and, yes, Reality Bites) was
picked up by Beverly Hills police at around 7 p.m. Wednesday after security
guards at the Wilshire Boulevard store purportedly nabbed her during a
five-finger shopping spree. Police say she was caught with several articles
of clothing and jewelry, worth about $5,000.
Ryder was arrested and booked on charges of felony grand theft and
possessing pharmaceutical drugs without a prescription. (It's not known
exactly what kind of drugs she was allegedly caught with.) The actress was
released from custody just after 11:30 p.m., after posting $20,000 bail.
Despite the criminal run-in, Beverly Hill cops described Ryder as "very
friendly, polite, cooperative" and "a nice lady." (Even behind bars, she's
just too cute!)
Reps for Ryder declined comment Thursday afternoon, pending a statement from
the actress. She's due to be arraigned January 11 in Beverly Hills Superior
Court.
Lately, the elfin starlet has been better known for her rotating list of
rock star boyfriends than recent film roles. While she's never had a problem
picking out musical talent (beaus have included Beck, Ryan Adams, Dave
Pirner of Soul Asylum and the not-quite-musical Matt Damon), the actress has
had a little less luck with big-screen choices like Autumn in New York and
Lost Souls.
Her film credits include 1988's Beetlejuice, The Age of Innocence and Little
Women (which scored her back-to-back Oscar nominations in 1994 and '95) and
Alien Resurrection. She also executive produced and starred in Girl,
Interrupted, which helped launch costar Angelina Jolie from pouty-lipped
unknown to Oscar-winning A-lister.
Of course, you'd think that if Ryder had learned anything from her Reality
Bites role, it would be that the best way to score free stuff is by using
your father's gas station credit card. But we digress.