New Jersey: A video showing two Indian students being arrested for shoplifting in the United States has gone viral on social media, even though the incident occurred last year.

The students, hailing from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, were pursuing higher studies at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey.

In 2024, they allegedly attempted to leave a Hoboken department store, ShopRite, with 27 unpaid items worth around Rs 13,000, while paying for only two items.

Police officers, alerted to the theft, apprehended the duo. Bodycam footage captured their pleas, with one admitting guilt and offering to pay for the goods, while the other suggested paying double. They reportedly told officers their credit card had insufficient balance.

The video also shows the students expressing fear that the arrest could impact their H1B visa prospects or employment opportunities, to which the police responded that such records would indeed reflect during checks.

The clip has resurfaced on social media after a recent theft incident involving a woman in Illinois, triggering renewed debate on student conduct abroad.