Mel and Peet Viljoen Accuse US Police of Stealing Diamonds and Designer Items Worth Over R200k

• South African reality TV stars Mel and Peet Viljoen have made explosive allegations against the United States law enforcement
• In an exclusive interview, the controversial couple who are currently behind bars for overstaying their visas, claimed the US police stole items and cash worth over R200,000
• After Mel and Peet Viljoen levelled the allegations, police in Boca Raton set the record straight

South African reality TV couple Mel and Peet Viljoen are making explosive allegations against the United States police, accusing them of stealing luxury items worth hundreds of thousands of rands during their arrest in March.

The former Real Housewives of Pretoria cast members were arrested in March for shoplifting. Following their release on bail, the two were picked up by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), over allegations of overstaying their visas.

Mel and Peet Viljoen are currently detained at different detention centres, awaiting a verdict from an immigration judge.

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Mel and Peet Viljoen accuse US police of theft

In an interview with Rapport, Mel and Peet Viljoen accused the US police of having stolen hundreds of thousands of rands worth of personal items from them during their arrest on 10 March.

According to the Viljoens, the stolen items allegedly include a Louis Vuitton sling bag and sunglasses, a Burberry umbrella, a Montblanc pen, and a wallet containing $2 000 (R33,000) in cash and R180,000 worth of diamonds.

“I’m not even sure if I was arrested or robbed”, Peet is quoted as saying from his ICE detention centre in California.

In response, police from Boca Raton have rubbished the claims.

What Mel and Peet Viljoen have said about their arrest

The Viljoens' explanations regarding their arrests for allegedly shoplifting and overstaying their visa have changed over time.

After their arrest, Local10 reported that Mel Viljoen told Boca Raton police officers that she acted alone. An arrest report seen by the publication states that the reality TV star explained why she allegedly stole the items. Mel reportedly said she stole the items because she was in ‘survival mode’ since she is unemployed and immigrated to the United States without a work visa.

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In their interview with Rapport, the couple, who previously entered their pleas, said the entire incident was a misunderstanding at the self-checkout. Mel Viljoen admitted that she may have scanned items incorrectly and offered to pay for anything amiss.

In the interview, Mel insisted that she was not guilty and that the police couldn't show her evidence of intentional theft. Mel Viljoen also claimed that the only footage shown to her was of a Publix employee helping her scan items.

Regarding their overstayed visa, Peet said that their applications are pending.

Peet Viljoen open up on conditions in US detention centres

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Mel and Peet Viljoen revealed their living conditions inside US detention centres after their arrest for theft-related charges.

The couple are being held in separate facilities, which are around 1,580km apart

Source: Briefly News