Diamond Doris by Doris Payne

Diamond Doris: The True Story of the World's Most Notorious Jewel Thief is a memoir by Doris Payne, blatant career criminal.

"You can't do it all. You a woman and a colored woman at that. You can't act like a man. You can't be walking around all independent-like, doing whatever you like, taking what you want."

Her audacious story is perfect for a movie - indeed, a documentary has been made (The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne), and a major film is now planned. This has a breezy style with the spotlight firmly on our star, omitting everyday life for the sparkle, the skill, and the pure gumption.

She learned early in the segregated coal town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, that a black girl will be overlooked for a white customer, and whites who act friendly will quickly shun you in public. They greatly misjudged this little black girl, who found it easy to distract a clerk while shoplifting. Soon, she was visiting jewelry stores in nearby cities, as easy as chatting and flirting, and walking out with a ring on her finger the clerk forgot to return to the tray. She would trade these expensive items in at the pawn shop.

In 1956, she left her nursing home job and travelled the US, entering exclusive stores dressed as if money didn't matter. No one batted an eye as she tried on the gems she saw advertised by models in magazines, never feeling less than those women. By the time they discovered items missing, she would be in another city. She wasn't playing around: her first foray was a wedding set worth $14,000. She found a fence in an Israeli Jew named Babe, and they soon became a couple. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York, California - the next ring she wanted was worth $187,000 (in today's money) - moving it from finger to finger, trying on several at a time, and then accidentally placing her glove over it. It really was as easy as that.

Besides simply wanting the gems, sticking it to The Man is a bonus, knowing the stores will not report it stolen, rather, inflating the value for an insurance pay off. The dirty secret is the gems were stolen in the first place - mined for cartels who fund the weapons of war, with white businessmen disguised as travellers smuggling them out of Central African countries to be sold to conglomerates in Antwerp. Or, so Doris told me.

There were arrests over the years, but negligible with quick, easy bail as the police, lawyers, DA, and the courts did not take it seriously. Many of them buying from her fence Babe themselves.

Flying first class to Montreal, Paris, Athens, Zurich, she visited Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, Birks, and Rolex - with only an arrest in Monte Carlo, when at Cartier she was caught red-handed stealing a 10.5 carat, 2.5 million dollar diamond and put into custody. The story of how she escaped prison and found a Nigerian driver to smuggle her over the French border - and find her a new fake passport, is a highlight. The FBI hounded her for so many years the agent became good friends with her mother. They could never prove anything, all the jewels were gone.

Doris is now 93 and continues to steal, even with the ankle bracelet from her previous arrest.

I found this a smooth read, completely entertaining, and several times jaw-dropping at her audacity. She is one-of-a-kind, and so is her story. For fans of true crime, heist stories, and genuine underdog adventures, this is recommended.

Widely available in print, eBook, and audio.

2019 / Hardcover / 288 pages