Jeweler sells rights to Lohan video

The jewelry store alleging that Lindsay Lohan stole a $2,500 necklace has sold broadcast rights to its surveillance tape of the actress, by one account making more than $35,000 on the deal.

"Entertainment Tonight" has posted still images from the tape on its website and says its program Monday night will show footage of the video, "which we licensed exclusively from" The Associated Press.

"There were literally thousands of media inquiries asking for the release of the video, which is not any sort of secret evidence," Christopher Spencer, a spokesman for the Venice, Calif., jeweler Kamofie & Co., said in a statement to Newsday. "The video would absolutely have been released during the trial anyway, as was stated by several prominent criminal attorneys. We worked with the nonprofit organization known as The Associated Press to allow legitimate journalists and news outlets access to the video." The AP is owned by its newspaper and broadcast members.

A spokesman for The AP said in a statement, "Under an agreement with the copyright owner of the video, AP's commercial images division worked out a deal allowing 'Entertainment Tonight' to air the video exclusively at this time."

RadarOnline.com said Sunday that the video rights sold for at least $35,000, according to several sources, one of whom told the site, "The tape was sold in the U.S. and abroad. . . . The jewelry store wanted a bidding war to maximize profits."

Spencer told Newsday, without specifics, that he strongly disagreed with Radar's reporting of the story, but confirmed the site quoted him correctly Sunday saying that, "Customers have stayed away from the store because of the paparazzi and the controversy," and that money recouped from the video's release will not cover the store's losses.

He also confirmed that the website Necklacevideo.com, which claims "the exclusive license" for "the video streams from the jewelry store's surveillance cameras," was put up by his Burbank-based licensing and media relations firm, The Spencer Co.

SEE PHOTOSLindsay Lohan then and now

Lohan, 24, has maintained that the necklace was borrowed and returned late, and has pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony grand theft. The "Mean Girls" star is next due in court March 10.