Legendary jewelry thief pleads guilty to DeKalb County theft

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - An internationally renowned jewel thief admitted to stealing a high-priced necklace from a Dunwoody department store, according to the DeKalb County District Attorney's office. During court proceedings Wednesday afternoon, 86-year-old Doris Payne pleaded guilty to a felony count of Theft by Shoplifting.

She was sentenced to three years’ probation to serve 30 days in custody, which was reduced to time-served. Payne was also ordered to serve 120 days on house arrest.

WATCH: Doris Payne appears in court

Payne was be arraigned at 1 p.m. after failing to appear on charges that she took a nearly $2,000 necklace from Perimeter Mall last December. Surveillance video captured Payne placing the necklace in her coat pocket moments after viewing several items of jewelry with a sales associate. She quickly discarded the necklace in a trash can before being questioned by security.

WATCH: Infamous self-proclaimed international jewel thief Doris Payne is back in jail

She had been released on bond when she failed to appear in court in early March.

The 86-year-old gained an international reputation after a documentary profiled her decades-long career in crime.

Payne has been arrested more than 20 times in the last 50 years.

According to the terms of her plea agreement, Payne is banned from all Von Maur stores and all DeKalb County malls, including Perimeter. 

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