JANA

Jana, a young gypsy girl, had lived with her family in Budapest. As a street performer she would join her family members by playing tambourine for tips from passersby, and as an accomplished pickpocket she stole money and items of value for trade. Around her neck she wore a pendant with the image of Saint Dismas, the patron saint of thieves.

Jana first encountered MacGyver when she tried to pick his pocket during his mission to Budapest to make contact with Nicolai Grodsky, a double agent. MacGyver caught her on her first attempt, and she offered him a gypsy blessing instead, but she successfully removed the Swiss Army knife from his pocket, then she stole a watch from Grodsky's pocket. Because the watch contained valuable intelligence that was sought by the Soviets, Jana and her family became targets of the KGB, and her brother Bruno, Stephan, Peter, and her grandfather Alex were arrested and sent to Borza Prison.

Jana had given the stolen watch to her brother Bruno, who had sold it to a gypsy fence named Reena. Jana cooperated with MacGyver as he helped her family escape from prison and tracked down Reena to retrieve the watch, and in return for helping him evade police, Jana pleaded with MacGyver to bring her and her family to America.

Reluctantly, MacGyver arranged to help the family escape, and in three stolen Mini Coopers he led the police on a chase through Budapest and across the border into Austria. There Jana and her family were to be processed for their trip to America. As a farewell, MacGyver gave Jana his Swiss Army knife, and in exchange Jana gave MacGyver her Saint Dismas necklace.

Portrayed by: Kelly McClain

Cross Reference: Alex, Borza Prison, Bruno, Budapest, Nicolai Grodsky, Nicolai Kossov, Jan Messic, Peter, Stephan

Episode Reference: Thief of Budapest