At first glance, silver-haired Doris Marie Payne, 83, looks like your typical sweet grandmother. Don’t let her endearing smile and innocent eyes, and especially her age, fool you. She’s an international jewel thief. Having recently pleaded guilty to stealing a diamond ring worth $22,500 from El Paseo Jewellers (a likeness to the one pictured below) in Palm Desert, California, last October, she is the latest subject of tabloid fodder. She tried to pawn the bling at a nearby pawn shop for a measly $800.
Felony counts for burglary and grand theft have guaranteed her a bed in the Riverside County Jail for the next two years and another two years under mandatory supervision. Even though she has 20 aliases, nine dates of birth, and five Social Security numbers, she’s gained notoriety with the “Diamond Doris” moniker.
