Ryder enjoyed 'sheer thrill' of shoplifting, court told

A court in the US has been told that Winona Ryder stole nearly £4,000 of designer merchandise for the "sheer thrill" of it.

A court in the US has been told that Winona Ryder stole nearly £4,000 of designer merchandise for the "sheer thrill" of it.

Prosecutor Ann Rundle has urged the jury to find the actress guilty of shoplifting during a pre-Christmas shopping spree last year.

Ms Rundle told Beverly Hills Superior Court there was ample evidence to prove Ryder stole thousands of pounds of designer goods from Saks Fifth Avenue.

She said of Ryder: "She came, she stole, she left - end of story," adding that when she arrived at the Beverley Hills store she was armed with a "burglary kit".

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That kit, she said, consisted of a pair of scissors to cut sensor tags off merchandise, a large garment bag to conceal stolen items and a bag full of tissue paper with which to wrap up stolen goods.

Ms Rundle outlined to the jury how after arriving at the store last year Ryder bought a pair of Gucci shoes.

She then used the red Saks shopping bag which held the shoes to conceal other stolen items, Ms Rundle claimed.

According to Ms Rundle, the actress went on to pick up several handbags and showed a clip of a video tape showing Ryder kneeling down and apparently stuffing items, including hair accessories, inside a hat.

Ms Rundle told the court that it was around this point that security staff became suspicious and began watching Ryder closely.

She also pointed out to the jury that Ryder went into a changing room with bags, socks and hair accessories adding that these were "not exactly items you take into a dressing room to try on".