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World-Famous 85-Year-Old Jewel Thief Arrested In Atlanta

For Doris Payne, stealing has been a career.

An international jewel thief named Doris Payne has been arrested in Atlanta, Ga., after attempting to steal US$690 Christian Dior earrings from Saks Fifth Avenue, according to CBS News.

She's 85 years old.

This is far from the first time she's been caught stealing jewelry. Payne was once wanted on two separate continents, according to the Daily Mail. She was arrested for theft in her 20s and has since become a world-famous jewel thief, according to Buzz60.

Payne was a coal miner's daughter and born in Slab Fork, W.Va, according to the Guardian. Over the course of a six decades as a career criminal, she had developed a winning strategy: She would dress nicely and have a detailed story she would use to charm jewelry store employees all while pocketing their goods.

She was even the subject of the documentary "The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne."

During a 2005 interview with The Associated Press in Las Vegas, Payne recalled her exploits with amusement, even laughing at times. She claimed that she stole diamonds because they were easiest and that she wasn't in it for the money, but the thrill.

"I've had regrets, and I've had a good time," she told the AP.

Currently Payne faces a charge of theft by shoplifting and was booked into the Fulton County jail on Tuesday. Police say she is wanted for a similar offense in North Carolina.

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