This Allegedly Wasn’t Lanie Kazan’s First Time At The Shoplifting Rodeo
It’s super-embarrassing to be caught shop-lifting. Not that I’d know. Store security comes and they march you away and you protest loudly that you forgot you had put the item in your purse! And you have to sit in the little room with the monitors while some functional alcoholic named Dan pretends he’s running Guantanamo Not that I’d know! Seriously, I’d rather go down for murder. My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s Lanie Kazan made like Joyce from Stranger Things when she was busted with $180 worth of groceries for which she didn’t pay for on Christmas Eve. TMZ sez that this isn’t the first time that San Fernando Valley supermarket Gelson’s has had to snatch unpaid groceries out of Lanie’s cart.
Gelson’s employees had a plan in place to catch Lanie because this would have been the third time she left the store without paying. Operation Get Leona From Beaches was put into effect as soon as she entered the store and they were waiting for her outside the exit to nab her in the parking lot. Ugh, this woman is 77 years old. Hopefully they didn’t get overeager and tackle her ass.
Gelson’s employees told us they saw a pattern with Kazan — she would fill up her basket and pretend to walk toward the checkout line, but would then make a quick exit out the door as another group of customers was leaving. We’re told security footage backs this up.
And to satisfy your burning need to know what she pilfered…
As we reported … her cart had about $180 worth of groceries, and we’re told it included cleaning supplies (Comet and Pledge), a hot rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, some Jell-O … and uncured pepperoni.
Lanie’s lawyer told TMZ that she wasn’t stealing and that Gelson’s “overreacted and didn’t give her a chance to pay” before they had her arrested. Lanie was cited and released without bail. Did she get to keep the swag? Those big-ass rotisserie chickens don’t come cheap. The least they can do is let her take it home after embarrassing her like this.
Pic: WENN