Felony Charges Dropped Against Woman Who Didn't Return VHS Tape

Imagine being Texas woman Caron McBride, who got a huge surprise when she went to change her last name on her state license only to find out she was a wanted felon in Oklahoma because she didn't return a Sabrina the Teenage Witch VHS tape in 1999 to Movie Place in Norman.

“I went to change my driver’s license, during this COVID thing you had to make an appointment, and so, I sent them an email (and) they sent me an email and they told me… that I had an issue in Oklahoma and this was the reference number for me to call this number and I did,” McBride told CBS-21 in Oklahoma.

Caron called the number and it was to the Cleveland County (OK) District Attorney's Office where they had a charge pending against the VHS thief. The felony charge was filed in 2000, and Caron had been living on the Most Wanted VHS Thief list ever since.

"I had lived with a young man, this was over 20 years ago. He had two kids, daughters that were 8, 10 or 11 years old, and I'm thinking he went and got it and didn't take it back or something. I have never watched that show in my entire life, just not my cup of tea," McBride told Fox 25. "Meanwhile, I'm a wanted felon for a VHS tape."

Movie Place went out of business in 2008, but the felony embezzlement charge remained on Caron's record. However, there's really good news here for all sides. Caron has been cut loose by the Cleveland County DA, who decided the smart move was to drop this case.

While it may sound odd to have a felony charge pending for a missing VHS tape, it's not exactly uncommon to have police chasing down VHS thieves. Back in 2016, a North Carolina man was arrested for failing to return Freddy Got Fingered after renting it in 2002. The rental store in that case had also closed.

James Meyers was pulled over for a taillight out and heard the news.

"The officer said, 'I don't know how to tell you this but there's a warrant out for your arrest from 2002. Apparently you rented the movie Freddy Got Fingered and never returned it.' I thought he was joking," Meyers told a TV station.

He was eventually handcuffed at the police station and taken to a magistrate's office. Charges were eventually dropped.