Sofia Coppola is once again casting her lens on Hollywood -- but she's not focusing on movie stars this time, but rather the people who stole from them!

According to our sources, Coppola is developing a film based on the infamous Burglar Bunch. We're told the film, which would be produced by daddy Francis' Zoetrope studio, does not have a start date or even a script yet.

Sources close to the project tell TMZ ... producers approached Burgler Buncher Nick Prugo about being a consultant on the film, but he declined. We're told Tess Taylor, sister of Buncher Alexis Neiers, has now signed on to the project.

Calls to Coppola were not returned.

Rachel Lee -- the mastermind behind the infamous Burglar Bunch gang -- has been sentenced to 4 years in prison ... for raiding Audrina Patridge's Hollywood Hills home back in 2009.

21-year-old Lee pleaded no contest to one count of first degree residential burglary last month ... after she was accused of entering Patridge's home through an unlocked door on the night of the Academy Awards.

Lee was accused of taking around $43k worth of items from the home -- including Audrina's passport, various pieces of jewelry, a laptop and designer jeans.

4 other members of the gang are still awaiting trial for allegedly taking part in burglarizing the homes of Orlando Bloom, Megan Fox, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan between Sept. 2008 and August 2009.

Another fun fact -- Lee was sentenced to precisely the same prison term Conrad Murray will get if the book is thrown at him.

Rachel Lee -- the mastermind of the Burglar Bunch gang that terrorized numerous Hollywood celebs -- has pled no contest in the burglary of Audrina Patridge's L.A. home.

Lee and the bunch allegedly ransacked Audrina's home in 2009.  Although Lee did not cop a plea in the other cases, as TMZ first reported, the Burglar Bunch also allegedly hit the homes of Orlando Bloom, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox.

Lee is expected to be sentenced to 4 years in prison when she appears in court on October 21.

Ironic ... Burglar Bunch suspect Nick Prugo doesn't like people borrowing from him -- in fact, he tells TMZ he plans to sue over the new "Bling Ring" movie ... claiming Lifetime STOLE his likeness for profit.


Nick tells us, “I had no prior knowledge of this and am not affiliated in any way. I want to sue if possible. I’m in touch with my attorneys right now.”

He adds, "I just read the sides for my supposed part. I had to laugh. It's total fiction. They are filming somewhere this weekend for a club scene in Los Angeles. Maybe I'll drop by and surprise them."

But not everyone's pissed -- fellow BB suspect Tess Taylor tells us, she's best suited to act in the made-for-TV movie ... because she knows the truth ... "Where is the casting? I want to audition for a role."

So far, the "Bling Ring" movie doesn't have an official release date -- but you can expect to catch it later this summer.

It's the one thing the Burglar Bunch hasn't stolen ... your TV time ... but that's about to change ... because a made-for-TV movie about the infamous thieves is already in production.



A rep for Lifetime tells TMZ, the wheels are in motion for a movie called "Bling Ring" --  which chronicles a group of teens in 2009 who pilfer $3 million in cash and jewelry ... from celebs like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Orlando Bloom. The flick is being produced by Silver Screen Pictures.

But don't expect to hear the names Nick Prugo, Rachel Lee, and Alexis Neiers in the flick -- we're told the burglars' real names had to be changed for "legal reasons."

And get this -- "Dirty Dancing" star Jennifer Grey will take a lead role as the mother of the Prugo character. 

The movie should be on TV in late summer.

If you're in the market for some authentic USED Paris Hilton jewelry -- check your local pawn shop ... because the Burglar Bunch HOCKED all of the super-expensive stuff they stole from her house ... so says the heiress.




Paris and her BF Cy Waits were on their way in to Boa last night ... when PH told us, "[The Burglar Bunch] pawned everything that was real ... they only gave me back the costume stuff."

It's a BIG STATEMENT -- because just last week, Hilton was sued by an insurance company for not returning $60,000 in jewelry she borrowed from Damiani Jewellers back in 2007 ... jewelry that was jacked from Hilton's home by the Burglar Bunch. 

The company thinks Hilton is LYING about not being in possession of the bling -- because they believe cops recovered the Damiani pieces and gave it back to Paris ... who then FAILED to give it back to Damiani.

The company also alleges Hilton agreed to keep the jewelry in a safe when she wasn't wearing it ... but instead of locking it up, Paris simply tucked it away in her closet.

The company is seeking $60,000 in damages.

Former "Pretty Wild" star Alexis Neiers just pled not guilty to two charges stemming from her arrest last December -- when cops searched her house and discovered black tar heroin.


We're told Alexis was arraigned yesterday -- pleading not guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of a smoking device.

The ex-Burglar Buncher took a break from rehab to appear in court ... where she's due back in March.

Burglar Bunch member Nick Prugo has finally agreed to check into a rehab center ... after the 20-year-old acknowledged that his issues with drugs and alcohol may have fueled his celebrity crime spree.



Sources close to Prugo tell us ... the BB member will check into a live-in facility in Glendale, CA on Tuesday to seek treatment for, among other things, alcohol, cocaine and marijuana.

One person close to Nick tells us, "He wanted to take care of long existing problems that made him make a lot of bad decisions."

As TMZ first reported, Prugo is accused of participating in a string of celebrity burglaries between 2008 and 2009 ... taking expensive items from stars like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton.

"Pretty Wild" star/Burglar Bunch member Alexis Neiers had her probation revoked by a judge this morning and was ordered to be held without bail pending a hearing on Thursday.



As we first reported, Neiers was arrested earlier this week when cops came to her home in response to a probation violation ... and allegedly found her to be in possession of black tar heroin and a fake ID.

UPDATE: Neiers' lawyer Michael Nasatir tells TMZ, “[Alexis] is a young woman with a drug problem and she needs treatment. This is her first offense. Let’s get her some recovery rather than incarceration."

Rachel Lee -- the alleged ring leader of the Burglar Bunch -- got one of the Lindsay Lohan-related charges against her dropped, but she's far from out of the woods.


A judge today dismissed a burglary charge against Lee related to breaking into LiLo's home -- but kept a charge that Lee may have received a coat stolen from it.

Lee still faces charges stemming from a break-in at the home of Audrina Patridge.

Rachel Lee -- the suspected queen of the Burglar Bunch -- was arrested yet again on Tuesday for a crime she allegedly committed with another member of the bling ring ... three years ago.  



Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Lee was arrested by the LAPD and booked on a burglary charge stemming from an incident back in 2007 ... the same incident Nick Prugo was arrested for last week.

Lee's plate is already pretty full -- as we previously reported, girl pled not guilty to five charges a few months ago stemming from the more recent string of celebrity burglaries between 2008-2009 ... involving the likes of Paris Hilton, Audrina Patridge and Lindsay Lohan.

Rachel was released Tuesday afternoon.