Jerry O’Connell reported that a woman stole his wallet and phone while he attended a yoga class at a Los Angeles-area studio, and police have taken a theft report after the incident was captured on security cameras.
O’Connell, 51, told People that he had left his phone and wallet inside a pair of sneakers he set beside his mat before class. He said the door to the studio was locked during the session and that he noticed the items were missing when class ended.
According to O’Connell, an unknown woman asked to use the restroom and later was seen on the studio’s cameras bending down next to his shoes and removing the items. He described footage reviewed by Los Angeles Police Department investigators, saying the woman had pigtails, wore yoga clothes, carried a yoga mat and wore a yoga arm sleeve.
“We check the feed and we see her,” O’Connell told People. “You can see her saying, ‘Oh shucks, I’m late for class,’ and she bends down next to my dirty shoes and pulls out my wallet and phone, and leaves.” NBC reported that the LAPD had taken a theft report and viewed the security footage.
O’Connell said the thief promptly charged nearly $500 at a department store and about $100 at a gas station on his cards before American Express issued him a replacement card. He said a search function on his Android phone did not help locate the device.
The actor and host said the theft was especially upsetting because the wallet contained several sentimental items: a high school photo of his wife, Rebecca Romijn; a four-leaf clover given to him by Jack McBrayer; a $2 bill he said he obtained while shooting the film Stand By Me; his grandfather Charles Witkowski’s obituary; and his Powerball lottery tickets.
“I wear the same pair of dirty old sneakers to yoga class and before class, I took them off and slipped my wallet and phone into the dirty shoes. I’ve done that over 100 times — I know this because my app says I’ve taken 107 classes,” he said. He added that he spoke quietly to the studio attendant because he wanted to remain calm after class.
O’Connell said he later learned at the police station that the woman had allegedly cased the studio previously and targeted other studios. He referred to the alleged thief as the “yoga bandit” and raised a question about the Powerball tickets, asking whether any winnings would belong to him or to the person who stole the wallet.
Despite the theft, O’Connell said he returned to the studio and took another class. He thanked his instructor, Zack, and said the physical benefits of the practice continued: “I was back today and took a class. Shout out to Zack, my yoga teacher – I can touch my toes because of him, so all things ended well.”
Representatives for the yoga studio and law enforcement did not immediately provide additional public comment beyond confirmation that a report had been filed. O’Connell, who hosts the game show Pictionary and has a long career in television and film, has publicly discussed the incident to urge awareness among fellow studio-goers.
The LAPD continues to investigate the reported theft and has reviewed the studio’s security footage as part of that inquiry.