Dallas Socialite Charged With Shoplifting
D A L L A S, Texas, Sept. 29, 2003 -- A Dallas socialite who was celebrated for her fashion sense in Vogue magazine just last year, posed for a different kind of photo shoot after she was arrested for shoplifting.
Brooke Stollenwerck Aldridge — a socialite who earned a "best dressed" distinction from Vogue magazine — was arrested Sept. 15 on suspicion of shoplifting about $2,000 worth of designer goods from a Neiman Marcus department store in Dallas.
The arrest report said Aldridge, 48, was suspected of stuffing items into her purse and trying to flee the store without paying.
Among the items that she is suspected of shoplifting were a pair of black pants valued at $485, a Hermes wallet valued at $1,250 and a Kate Spade wallet valued at $120, according to police documents.
Arrest of the Fashionista
The arrest report said a security guard watching video monitors observed Aldridge trying to sneak the items out of the store in her purse and a shopping bag.
Aldridge's arrest is likely to stun the crowed she usually rolls with in Dallas. As far as high society in Dallas goes, Aldridge is the "Belle of the Ball." She has dominated the style section and local celebrity pages of their local papers for years.
Aldridge, a fixture on the Dallas social scene, has spearheaded many charitable campaigns for causes such as AIDS research and promoting the Dallas Museum of Art.
Reid Slaughter, the editor of Park Cities People newspaper says Aldridge has an amazing reputation.
"In Dallas society, Brooke Aldridge is an all star," Slaugther said. "She's a great girl, she has raised millions of dollars for charity and she's very well liked."
Glamour Gal on Exciting Hunt?
Dr. Ray Levy, a clinical psychologist, says Aldridge, who lives in a $2 million dollar home, probably didn't think she really needed wallets and a new pair of pants.
"Pure excitement," Levy said. "We're talking about a hunt. We're talking out scoping out what she's gonna take, how she's going to take it and how she's going to walk through the door. And it's all about the hunt," Levy said.
Because of Aldridge's money and celebrity, her experience might be compared to Winona Ryder's arrest. The actress was charged with shoplifting from a Saks Fifth Avenue store in December of 2001.
Ryder avoided jail, but she was sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation and was ordered to perform 480 hours of community service, and to obtain drug and psychological counseling. She was also required to pay fines totaling $3,700 to the state and county government, and to pay Saks Fifth Avenue $6,355.40 for the stolen merchandise.
Aldridge won a "best dressed" distinction in last year's Vogue article that profiled fashion leaders in Dallas, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. In the article Aldridge revealed that she had gaps in her wardrobe because casual dress had become more popular over the years.
"Increasingly, I'm either in my workout clothes or I'm very dressed up; I no longer seem to have just slacks and a nice shirt," Aldridge said in the July 2002 article.
In addition to the embarrassment of going from socialite to accused shoplifter, Aldridge also faces possible jail time. She is accused of stealing merchandise worth more than $1,500 dollars, which is a state felony. If convicted, Aldridge could be face up to two years behind bars.
Although Aldridge is accustomed to posing for the camera, the mug shot was not one she's familiar with. The police report noted that Aldridge has no previous criminal record. She was released several hours after her arrest.
ABCNEWS' Mike Von Fremd reported this story on Good Morning America