Jerry O’Connell Testified Against the Yoga Bandit Who Stole His Belongings After She Was Arrested: ‘I’m a Snitch!’
- - Jerry O’Connell Testified Against the Yoga Bandit Who Stole His Belongings After She Was Arrested: ‘I’m a Snitch!’
Dave QuinnDecember 23, 2025 at 10:59 PM
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Katie Jones/Variety via Getty
Jerry O'Connell at Variety Comic-Con Studio on July 27, 2024 -
Jerry O’Connell testified in court after the woman who stole his wallet and phone was arrested
The thief targeted multiple yoga studios and other locations, using similar tactics to steal belongings
O’Connell never recovered sentimental items, including a photo of his wife and a keepsake from Stand by Me
Jerry O’Connell is sharing a surprising update in the case of the so-called “yoga bandit,” who stole his phone and wallet while he attended a Los Angeles workout class.
During an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark that aired on Tuesday, Dec. 23, the actor revealed that the woman responsible has since been arrested — and that he faced off against her in court.
“Look, they caught the person. They caught them,” O’Connell, 51, said. “I was, the first time in my life, I swear, I was subpoenaed. I had to go testify. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’m a snitch, everybody! I snitched big time!”
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Kevin Mazur/Getty
Jerry O'Connell on March 2, 2025
O’Connell detailed the theft in an interview with PEOPLE back in September, explaining that someone took his belongings out of his sneakers while he was taking a class at Oxygen Yoga and Fitness in Calabasas.
The thief, surveillance footage showed, came into the studio dressed in yoga gear but left after telling the front desk attendance she was late for class and would come back for the next one. Before she exited the studio, she bend down and snatched O'Connell's stuff.
She walked away with a few hundred dollars in cash and O'Connell's phone, which he joked carried no value. "I have an Android, so good luck selling that," he told PEOPLE.
But there were priceless items, too. "The only real bummer is that I had a photo of Rebecca from high school in my wallet, a four-leaf clover Jack McBrayer had given me, a $2 bill I got while shooting Stand by Me, and my grandfather Charles Witkowski's obituary,” O’Connell said.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
Jerry O'Connell in June 2024
Police previously told PEOPLE the suspect was connected to a string of similar thefts at multiple yoga studios in the California area.
According to O'Connell, police told him she also hit up a Gymboree. "Somebody’s handbag got taken at a Gymboree!" he said on Live with Kelly and Mark. "Where people bring their kids!"
Recalling the footage that was shown to him by the Los Angeles Police Department, O'Connell said the suspect appeared to use the same approach each time, posing as someone waiting for a family member while lingering in shared spaces. "It was that same deal," he remembered. "‘Oh, I’m waiting for my… my sister’s bringing her kid, is it cool if I hang out?’ And everyone’s playing with their kids and on the footage, it's just taking her handbag. Crazy."
It's not clear what the fate was of the thief. O'Connell did not name her, and the LAPD has not responded to PEOPLE's request for comment.
However, O’Connell did note that the woman mouthed "I'm sorry" to him while he was testifying. "I felt kind of bad," O'Connell said. "I was like, ‘It’s okay, it’s fine.’ "
Despite the arrest, O’Connell told Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos that he never recovered his stolen items, but was able to get his license replaced. His financial fallout was ultimately resolved, too. "Shout out to a major credit card company who refunded my stuff," he said.
Live with Kelly and Mark airs weekdays in syndication (check local listings).
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
