A reality television couple known for their appearances on an international installment of The Real Housewives franchise have admitted to stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of groceries from Florida supermarkets in what police describe as a months-long retail theft scheme.

Melany and Petrus Viljoen — known to viewers as “Mel and Peet” on The Real Housewives of Pretoria — were arrested Tuesday in Boca Raton and charged with aggravated grand retail theft over $3,000.

According to Boca Raton police, the couple is accused of stealing more than $5,300 worth of groceries from Publix stores between August 2025 and March 2026.

Authorities say the thefts were carried out over multiple visits to the supermarket chain using a barcode manipulation tactic commonly known as “ticket switching.”

The pair were taken into custody during a traffic stop while driving a black Range Rover, according to local reports.

Police say surveillance footage and store records linked the couple to repeated thefts at Publix locations across the area.

Investigators allege the scheme involved scanning cheaper barcodes while purchasing more expensive items.

In total, police say the couple stole 392 items.

Among the goods allegedly taken were La Marca Prosecco, San Pellegrino sparkling water, Maison Perrier sparkling water, Coca-Cola Zero, fruit, toilet paper and other household groceries.

Authorities also noted that at least two other suspected thefts at different Publix stores were not formally reported because the value of the items taken was relatively small.

According to the arrest report, the couple admitted they were the individuals seen in store surveillance footage.

Melany Viljoen, 39, reportedly told officers she had been stealing because she was struggling financially after moving to the United States.

“She was stealing because she was in survival mode and has not worked since coming to the U.S. due to not having a Visa,” the arrest report stated.

Viljoen also allegedly told police she carried out the thefts alone.

However, investigators believe Petrus Viljoen, 57, played an active role in the scheme.

According to police, he distracted store employees while his wife switched price tags and barcodes at the checkout.

“Over the course of the last six months, the Viljoens have worked in concert during multiple acts of retail theft,” a Boca Raton police officer wrote in the report.

The Viljoens were booked into the Palm Beach County Main Detention Center in West Palm Beach.

Jail records show each of them was held on a $10,000 bond.

Authorities have not yet announced a court date for the couple.

Melany and Petrus Viljoen became known internationally through The Real Housewives of Pretoria, an Afrikaans-language entry in the long-running Real Housewives franchise.

The show premiered in 2022 and ran for one season.

Melany later appeared on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: South Africa in 2024, introducing the couple to a broader global audience of Bravo fans.