Jewelry Store Surveillance Footage of Lindsay Lohan Sold to Celebrity Shows

March 7, 2011 — -- The once little-known jeweler in Venice Beach, Calif., who accused Lindsay Lohan of shoplifting a $2,500 necklace is now attempting to cash in big time, selling the surveillance video to "Entertainment Tonight" and other celebrity shows for $35,000, according to RadarOnline.com.

When all sides agreed two weeks ago to keep the video tape private, a no-nonsense judge publicly sent Lohan an unmistakable message. "This case does involve jail time. Period," Judge Keith Schwartz said last month.

But legal experts say that if the key piece of the prosecution's evidence is now tainted, it may be the judge who receives an unmistakable message.

"He seems to have boxed himself into a corner without giving the opportunity to even listen to whatever evidence may be coming," former prosecutor Robin Sax told "Good Morning America."

A website created by a Beverly Hills, Calif., software company claimed to have "exclusive license" to the surveillance tape of Lindsay Lohan in the Venice Beach jewelry store where she allegedly stole a $2,500 necklace.

On the web site, necklacevideo.com, is a statement that it will stream segments of the video, although no date or time is given.

"Speculation as to what occurred that day has been the subject of intense rumor in the media and elsewhere," a statement on the website said. "Many individuals want to be able to see the video streams from the jewelry store's surveillance cameras, and we have obtained the exclusive license for them.

"The tapes speak for themselves," said the statement on the site, which was credited to the Spencer Company, a Beverly Hills, Calif., software company.

Cristopher Spencer, the president of The Spencer Company and a spokesperson for the jewelry store, Kamofie & Company, said the company decided to release the tape due to media interest and concerns that the media was mischaracterizing its contents.

"The bottom line is we felt there was far too much speculation about the video recording, and that it was right for the public to be able to see the video itself," Spencer said in a statement released to ABCNews.com.

"The jewelry store wanted a bidding war to maximize profits," RadarOnline quotes a source as saying. "They chopped up the sale to different outlets to make as much money as possible."

"Entertainment Tonight" obtained stills taken from the video, which shows Lohan in a black top trying on jewelry, with a video timestamp of Jan. 21, 2011.

The celebrity news show said it will air footage of the actress' shopping trip today.

Lohan's only public comments have been to the TV show "Extra," saying she is embarrassed by the legal spectacle.

"I don't like the attention," she said on Extra. "I don't want that, I want my attention to come through my films, from the work that I'm doing."

But on "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan remained ever so close to the center of attention.

"Things are great, my new movie 'Herbie' opened 68 months ago and the Los Angeles court house just gave me my own parking spot … winning," an actress playing Lohan said.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office formally charged Lohan with felony grand theft Feb. 9. If convicted, Lohan could go to California state prison for up to three years. The actress will be back in front of Judge Schwartz Thursday.