BOCA RATON, Fla. — A couple who appeared on the "Real Housewives of Pretoria" reality show is accused of a retail theft scheme that targeted a Publix supermarket and netted more than $5,300, authorities said.
According to Palm Beach County online court records, Melany Viljoen, 39, and her husband, Petrus Jacobus “Peet” Viljoen, 57, were arrested on March 10.
The South African natives were facing charges of aggravated grand retail theft over $3,000, court documents state.
In a probable cause affidavit, Boca Raton police said that the couple stole $5,302.17 worth of groceries from a Publix in the city.
Investigators said that between August 2025 and March 2026, the couple conducted 52 transactions that utilized “ticket-switching” tactics. Police said the pair would scan low-priced items, such as seasoning packets, while placing higher-priced groceries into their bags.
Surveillance video documented 392 items that were not scanned, with 369 of the items confirmed through security camera footage.
Some of the items reported as stolen included two bottles of $34.99 wine, cases of sparkling water, toilet paper and other items. Petrus Viljoen would bring his cart of expensive items to the self-checkout lane where his wife was already scanning cheaper items correctly from a handbasket. Petrus then pushed the basket with expensive items away from the area and out of the store, investigators said.
In one example, investigators said that on Feb. 12, Melany Viljoen allegedly tried and failed to purchase a pack of gum while her husband left the store with two cases of mineral water without paying, WFLX reported.
Police said that on Feb. 28, Melany Viljoen allegedly failed to scan items totaling $117.17, according to the television station.
In several incidents, officers said Petrus Viljoen would distract Publix employees while his wife allegedly did the ticket switching at the self-checkout station, WPEC reported.
The couple was arrested on March 10 by Boca Raton police, the probable cause affidavit stated.
Melany Viljoen later confessed after being shown in-store footage of the alleged incidents, the Miami Herald reported. She allegedly told police that she was forced to steal the item because she was “in survival mode.”
Petrus Viljoen confirmed the couple’s identities after viewing the security footage but did not admit to any wrongdoing, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Melany Viljoen has appeared in 14 episodes of “Real Housewives of Pretoria” in 2022 and 2023, according to IMDb.com. Petrus Viljoen appeared in a 2023 episode of the reality series.
© 2025 Cox Media Group
