An international jewel thief took a plea deal Tuesday that should have her out of prison in time to watch actress Halle Berry play her on the big screen.

Doris Payne, 78, pleaded no contest in Santa Clara County Superior Court in Palo Alto to felony grand theft for the 2005 heist of a $30,000 diamond from the Neiman Marcus at Stanford Shopping Center. She will be sentenced to two years in state prison, but credits for time served and good behavior will likely knock that down to less than a year.

This could be the last in a string of prison stints for Payne, a lifelong thief notorious for her smooth style. Authorities said she would walk into a high-end department store, chat up the jewelry clerks while trying on items from different display cases, and then walk out with one of their priciest gems. According to a 2005 report by the Associated Press, the West Virginia native hit stores in New York, Monte Carlo and Paris over a five-decade career, always dressing elegantly to avoid suspicion.

Payne’s theft at the Stanford Shopping Center was caught on a security camera, though not until after she was gone, Palo Alto police Agent Dan Ryan said. Local police sent the images to the nonprofit Jewelers Security Alliance, which identified Payne as the thief and alerted jewelers nationwide.

Hours later, Payne was arrested at a Neiman Marcus in Las Vegas with a slip from a local pawn shop where she had dropped off the stolen ring. She served
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time in Nevada and then in Colorado on a prior warrant before being extradited to Santa Clara County in April.

She faced up to four years on charges of grand theft and burglary, prosecutors said. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office offered to drop the burglary count, cutting the time to two years.

Defense attorney Chris Mattison said she and Payne considered filing a speedy trial motion that would have given her a chance of getting off completely. They decided to take the plea deal after prosecutors agreed to credits that will minimize Payne’s sentence.

The timing could work out well for her, since Variety and other entertainment Web sites report a movie about her life starring Halle Berry is in development and on track for a 2010 release.

Prosecutor Paul Jhin said he hopes that means she’s finally through with crime. “Whether or not she’ll strike again, I don’t know at this point. I’ve read she has meetings with Halle Berry set up for when she gets out. Hopefully she’s moving on to bigger and better things.”

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