According to Fox News, a lady in Michigan, US, was detained after being accused of stealing several products from a Walmart shop by failing to scan them all at the self-checkout. She was arrested on September 29 and is presently charged with first-degree retail fraud.
TeddyJo Marie Fliam, 34, was allegedly using the self-checkout at a Walmart in Alpena County when loss prevention personnel observed she wasn't scanning every item. Later, when a loss prevention agent contacted her, she grew upset and denied omitting any products. She then reportedly exited the shop, according to a Fox News story.
Upon reviewing the store's CCTV footage, it was discovered that the 34-year-old had taken merchandise totaling more than $1,000 by not scanning the merchandise from the self-checkout counter since April this year.
The loss prevention staff at the Walmart in Alpena County has reportedly started to crack down on self-checkout thefts recently, according to The New York Post. Two more occurrences when persons were detained after switching barcodes while checking out merchandise were also noted by the Michigan State Police.
By utilizing cameras to ensure every item in the bag was scanned, the retail giant also leveraged artificial intelligence to stop self-checkout thefts in 2019. According to sources, the internal system known as Missed Scan Detection can keep an eye on both human and uncrewed checkout stations and alert staff members to any possible missed scans so they can look into them.
At the time, a Walmart representative told Fox News that the retailer was "making a true commitment to safeguarding the safety of our customers and workers." The retail behemoth claimed they had spent $500 million to stop, lessen, and discourage crime in the parking lot and businesses. They said, "We are continually investing in people, programs, and technology to keep our stores and communities secure.