A couple from the Real Housewives franchise was recently arrested in Florida. According to sources, the couple stole over $5,000 while in the area. Authorities have since shared details about the story, even revealing that the couple was captured on surveillance footage.
A Traffic Stop In Florida Later Led To The Couple Being Arrested Over Theft
The Real Housewives is an American reality television franchise looking at the lives of affluenet woman in various locations. The series started in 2006 with The Real Housewives of Orange County.
While the franchise has spun off a number of series in the United States, it has also gone international in recent years. Viewers have since looked at the lives of wealthy couples in places ranging from Naples, Munich, Rome, Vancouver, and Melbourne.
Petrus “Peet” Viljoen and Melany Viljoen are a couple that appeared in South Africa’s Real Housewives of Pretoria. This is the fourth series produced in South Africa, but the first to be produced in the Afrikaans language.
According to WPBF, the couple was arrested in Palm Beach County after police said that they stole over $5,300 worth of groceries from a Publix store. Police have claimed that the thefts took place over a series of months.
A Boca Raton Police Department report claimed that the couple was taken into custody on March 10, 2026. This came about after a traffic stop involving their black Range Rover. Police claimed that the vehicle matched one seen in store surveillance videos during the reported thefts.
The Couple Admitted To Being In The Footage, Though Melany Made A Surprising Claim
The couple is believed to have visited the Publix store dozens of times between August 2025 and early March 2026. According to the surveillance footage and transactions, the couple was using a method dubbed “ticket switching.” This sees cheaper barcodes being used to pay for more expensive items.
It’s also believed that the couple took advantage of self-checkout lanes. Reportedly, they failed to scan certain items and walked out with full carts.
After fleeing their financial and legal obligations in South Africa, Mel and Peet Viljoen have been arrested in the US for aggravated grand retail theft charges.
Reality TV couple Melany Viljoen (39) and Petrus “Peet” Viljoen (57), featured on Real Housewives of Pretoria were… pic.twitter.com/JektZFlQC7
— Bianca van Wyk (@BiancavanWyk16) March 12, 2026
As the outlet shared, Publix analysts and police looked into around 52 transactions. The couple was said to have accumulated around 392 unpaid items. These included sparking water, soda, fruit, and toilet paper, among other groceries. The losses totaled around $5,302.17.
According to the affidavit, the couple is believed to have worked together during the thefts. Peet is believed to have distracted employees at times when Melany failed to scan items. Allegedly, Peet also pushed carts past the final point of sale without paying.
Both have since been charged with aggravated grand retail theft over $3,000. According to police, the couple has admitted to being the couple seen in the footage. However, Melany claimed to have acted alone.
Despite this, police claimed that the evidence doesn’t support this claim. However, the case remains under investigation.
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John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.