BOCA RATON, Fla. — A South African reality television couple known for their appearances on 'The Real Housewives of Pretoria' has been charged with aggravated grand retail theft after police say they stole more than $5,300 worth of merchandise from Publix stores in South Florida over a six-month period.
Petrus "Peet" Jacoba Viljoen and Melany Viljoen are accused of using a "ticket switching" scheme — repeatedly swapping price tags or scanning inexpensive seasoning packets in place of higher-priced items at self-checkout lanes, according to a Boca Raton Police Department arrest affidavit.
A Publix data analyst flagged suspicious transactions linked to the couple's debit and credit cards between Aug. 29, 2025, and Feb. 8, 2026. Surveillance footage allegedly showed the pair concealing seasoning packets under assorted goods to avoid scanning them, resulting in hundreds of unpaid items.
Police identified the couple through CCTV footage and their black 2016 Land Rover Range Rover registered to Melany Viljoen. Investigators reviewed 52 transactions and found the suspects failed to scan 392 items — 369 confirmed on video — for a total loss of $5,302.17.
The affidavit stated that during some thefts, Peet distracted employees while Melany committed the crime. On Feb. 12, Melany allegedly tried and failed to purchase a pack of gum while Peet left the store with two cases of mineral water without paying. On Feb. 28, Melany allegedly failed to scan items totaling $117.17.
Peet was arrested on March 10 during a traffic stop. In a post-Miranda interview, he denied committing ticket switching. Melany reportedly admitted to the thefts, claiming she acted alone and was in "survival mode" because she has not been able to work in the U.S. without a visa.
Both are facing charges of aggravated grand retail theft over $3,000.
