Melany and Petrus Viljoen, known for appearing on The Real Housewives of Pretoria, have confessed to a months-long shoplifting spree at Publix supermarkets in Florida. The couple was arrested on Tuesday in Boca Raton and charged with aggravated grand retail theft over $3,000.
According to Boca Raton police, the Viljoens allegedly stole more than $5,300 worth of groceries from August 2025 through March 2026. They were taken into custody during a traffic stop while driving a black Range Rover. Police said the pair used a “ticket switching” method, applying cheaper barcodes to more expensive items, and stole 392 items including prosecco, sparkling water, soft drinks, fruit, and toilet paper.
Melany, 39, told officers she was stealing because she was in “survival mode” and had not worked since arriving in the US due to lacking a visa. Although she claimed she acted alone, investigators allege that Petrus, 57, distracted store employees while she committed the thefts. The couple admitted to being the individuals seen in CCTV footage.
The Viljoens are being held at the Main Detention Center in West Palm Beach with a bond of $10,000 each. They were featured on the first and only season of The Real Housewives of Pretoria, the first Afrikaans-language series in the franchise.
