As a counselor for both in-class and online shoplifting classes I often discuss celebrities who have been arrested for theft or shoplifting with my students. Granted, the majority of my students are under the age of 40, but sometimes students can bring up examples from long ago.

One such example is Bess Myerson. It saddens me that the first Jewish Miss America tarnished her reputation for stealing, but she is a prime example of how celebrity theft has been going on for generations.

As a 21-year-old Myerson was crowned Miss America in 1945. Myerson’s time in the limelight was long and prosperous as she became a television personality for almost 30 years. She even served on a commission for New York mayor Ed Koch in 1980.

Her run-in with the law occurred eight years later when she was arrested for shoplifting. What did she steal?

She was arrested for stealing five pairs of earrings, six bottles of nail polish, flashlight batteries and a pair of shoes. The total value of her shoplifted items was $44.07. She pleaded guilty and paid the fines to clear her good name.

I do not think she really needs a stop theft shoplifting class. This appears to be a one-time incident and she is back on the path of righteousness.