Self Check Out Thievery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in the legal field, and yes, Target has a very sophisticated loss prevention system. They might not bother you for a low item loss the first time or two, but if you make it a habit, they will, and they will get you for all the previous thefts as well.

Why would you working "in the legal field" make you more knowledgable about Target's anti-theft practices than anyone else? Are you a lawyer? Is Target your client?

Until someone produces an actual person who has been banned by Target due to accumulating $1000 in small thefts via their self checkout system, I simply don't believe you. And not because I am desperate to steal stuff at Target, but just because I don't believe Target actually has such a system in place. It would be costly to develop and implement, and then actually going after people after they pass "the threshold" would be logistically hard.

Also Target self-checkout is among the most prone to malfunctioning. So even if they have such a system, I bet it doesn't work half the time. When I go through self checkout, it's standard for half to a two-thirds of the stations to be closed due to problems, and frequently the scanner isn't working or stuff will scan for the wrong price and I have call someone over to correct it. The idea that behind all this is a super sophisticated tracking system that careful identifies people and documents every time they fail to scan a lemon that costs like 70 cents is extremely hard to believe.

I would believe they have a system for items above a certain dollar value or from a specific part of the store (electronics, toys, and clothes seem like easy categories to more carefully track/prevent theft). But a sophisticated facial recognition system that knows Joe Schmoe didn't pay for his copy of Rich Dad, Poor Dad three years ago? Sorry, no.

[Anonymous]

Yet, this person is probably loaded and feels entitled…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At self checkout, I have a rule that if I try in good faith to scan something and can't get it to scan, and then request help, I will wait about two minutes, tops. Then I make a call. If it's less than $5 and it's something I genuinely need immediately, I just stick it in my cart. If it's pricier but I really need it, I'll wait longer. And if I don't really need it and it's more of an impulse buy, I just abandon it and finish my purchase.

I don't feel guilty about the stuff I wind up taking in this situation -- I'm genuinely trying to pay for it but the store is not invested enough in my purchase to facilitate that. Their loss, literally. For the record, the only place I've ever wound up taking things is Target because they have the worst combination of bad scanners and poorly staffed self-checkout stations. I've never had trouble flagging someone down to help me at Whole Foods or Harris Teeter.

And I have never taken anything rom Trader Joes' because they don't have self checkout at all and their checkers are always really good and efficient.

I do assume that Target simply doesn't care that much whether I pay $4 for my Colby jack cheese, especially as part of a $80 purchase of other items. They likely profit more if I just take the cheese I can't get to scan than they would if they hired and trained people to actually be helpful at self checkout, or to man more of the other checkouts so I didn't wind up in self checkout to begin with. It's very much a choice on their part.

But if they weren’t efficient you’d feel justified stealing from them too, lol

You just don't get it. No one is stealing from the stores with regular check outs. People are taking things from stores that force their labor onto others without any compensation.

Right, because then your trashy ass would get caught

No, because this sort of stealing is a form of laziness, not greed. I have no reason to tell some low-dollar item from a grocery store. I have plenty of money and I'm not hurting for produce or crackers. But I don't want buying a tomato or some crackers to take 10 minutes and require me to go flag down some disinterested employee who will act like I'm a moron because the item won't scan correctly. I just want to pay for it and leave. When stores make it hard to pay for items, some people will say "screw it, I guess it's free."

But at a store like Trader Joe's where they only have human checkers and area also really good at staffing checkout appropriately for the customer volume, no one is trying to sneak those tomatoes past the checker. They are fine paying for the tomatoes.

Trader Joe's is smart and I bet they have very little loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Giant is the WORST. Their self checkouts fill me with rage.

Giant is the worst for everything not just the self checkouts. They never have anyone there to help, all the produce belongs in a dumpster like 2 days ago, it's sooooo overpriced, $4.99 for a loaf of bread? A bag of chips $7.99? An avacado $3? A single sumo $3? A quart of milk for $7? Always out of deli lunch meat. No, I'm ok thanks!

[Anonymous]

For the many times when I've gotten home and have discovered that my watermelon is rotten, that my peaches are mealy and inedible, that my strawberries have that spongy, been frozen consistency, I will absolutely take and extra lemon once in a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But when the self checkout stalls out, you can't just keep scanning your other stuff and pay. You are trapped there until the worker comes over and resets the machine. So how are you not paying for your ingredients?

I have left tons of groceries sitting at checkout over the years. If it takes more time to wait in line to check out than it did for me to traverse the whole stores to do my shopping, I will just leave the cart (with all the frozen and refrigerated items) sitting there for the store to put back on the shelves. Once, AFTER waiting in line for 10 minutes, the clerk told me she was closed. So I just left her the full cart to deal with. If staff makes me wait more than a minute to resolve a self checkout issue, same thing. Don't give them your business if they can't provide the bare minimum of customer service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the many times when I've gotten home and have discovered that my watermelon is rotten, that my peaches are mealy and inedible, that my strawberries have that spongy, been frozen consistency, I will absolutely take and extra lemon once in a while.

I like how it’s the store’s fault that you have no clue how to pick good produce. Also, if your watermelon is “rotten”, you take that shit back to the store for a refund. Grow up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the many times when I've gotten home and have discovered that my watermelon is rotten, that my peaches are mealy and inedible, that my strawberries have that spongy, been frozen consistency, I will absolutely take and extra lemon once in a while.

I like how it’s the store’s fault that you have no clue how to pick good produce. Also, if your watermelon is “rotten”, you take that shit back to the store for a refund. Grow up.

Nope. Don't need to spend more of my most precious resource--my time--lugging a cut watermelon back to the store to wait in line for the surly "customer service" desk person to help me after she's dealt with all the lottery ticket people. No thanks. I'll just handle it my own way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't take anything from Target. They have one of the most sophisticated facial recognition systems in retail. I used to date a head of AP for a local Target who showed me their AP office and systems.

They compile all instances of theft until you reach felony level ($1,000 in VA) and then they pounce.

You are banned (trespassed) from all Target stores after getting caught, and like I said, their facial recognition software will be able to nab you if you try to enter in the future, then they press a trespassing charge.

Total BS. You can't aggregate singular instances into a single felony. I don't doubt they want people to believe that but that isn't how the legal system works.

One Google search proves otherwise. Target is one of the strictest with shoplifting.

https://www.dailydot.com/news/target-builds-monthslong-case-against-shoplifter/

From someone who was busted shoplifting at Target:

“When I finally got caught at Target and was taken to their office and they showed me a month’s worth case of me in one of the 10 binders they had.”

Unlike Walmart, Target maintains one of the highest-rated loss prevention teams, specializing in solving retail crimes at its stores. Their methods include video and image analysis, fingerprinting, and computer forensics.

Another one on Target's sophisticated software: https://www.marketingscoop.com/blog/target-shoplifting-policy/

But Target‘s surveillance technology goes far beyond simple video recording. The company employs advanced analytics software that can quickly identify suspicious behavior and alert security personnel to potential theft in real-time. This includes things like facial recognition algorithms that can match individuals to known shoplifter databases, as well as machine learning tools that can detect anomalies in customer behavior.

According to a report by Business Insider, Target has even experimented with using artificial intelligence to predict which customers are more likely to shoplift based on factors like their movements through the store and the items they purchase. While the company has not disclosed the exact metrics used in these risk scoring models, it is clear that data analysis plays a significant role in Target‘s loss prevention efforts.

And on Target's two private crime labs:

In addition to its in-store security measures, Target also operates two of the most advanced retail crime laboratories in the country. Located in Minneapolis and Las Vegas, these state-of-the-art facilities provide forensic services to Target stores and law enforcement agencies across the United States.

The labs are staffed by a team of highly trained forensic specialists, including fingerprint experts, computer forensic analysts, and video engineers. Using cutting-edge technology and techniques, these professionals work to extract evidence from surveillance footage, recover stolen merchandise, and build ironclad cases against shoplifters and organized retail crime rings.

One notable example of Target‘s forensic capabilities in action occurred in 2016, when the company‘s investigators were able to link a series of thefts across multiple states to a single organized crime group. By analyzing surveillance footage and social media posts, the team was able to identify the suspects and provide critical evidence to law enforcement, leading to the arrest of over a dozen individuals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But when the self checkout stalls out, you can't just keep scanning your other stuff and pay. You are trapped there until the worker comes over and resets the machine. So how are you not paying for your ingredients?

I have left tons of groceries sitting at checkout over the years. If it takes more time to wait in line to check out than it did for me to traverse the whole stores to do my shopping, I will just leave the cart (with all the frozen and refrigerated items) sitting there for the store to put back on the shelves. Once, AFTER waiting in line for 10 minutes, the clerk told me she was closed. So I just left her the full cart to deal with. If staff makes me wait more than a minute to resolve a self checkout issue, same thing. Don't give them your business if they can't provide the bare minimum of customer service.

Just leaving the carts abandoned is pretty effective because nothing cold can be put back on the shelf. This includes packaged cold produce such as bags of spinach or lettuce. Nothing frozen can be restocked, either. Same with meats and cheese. The only things that can be restocked are boxed/packaged non-perishables. I worked at Giant for 18 months and Safeway for 2 years. The policies were the same at both.

Store Managers get in trouble when their shrink or damaged goods hits a certain level. The store managers would get on us after getting a nasty email from the District Supervisor, who got the nasty email from Corporate. Sh.t rolls downhill for sure in retail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the many times when I've gotten home and have discovered that my watermelon is rotten, that my peaches are mealy and inedible, that my strawberries have that spongy, been frozen consistency, I will absolutely take and extra lemon once in a while.

You are a disgusting entitled person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But when the self checkout stalls out, you can't just keep scanning your other stuff and pay. You are trapped there until the worker comes over and resets the machine. So how are you not paying for your ingredients?

I have left tons of groceries sitting at checkout over the years. If it takes more time to wait in line to check out than it did for me to traverse the whole stores to do my shopping, I will just leave the cart (with all the frozen and refrigerated items) sitting there for the store to put back on the shelves. Once, AFTER waiting in line for 10 minutes, the clerk told me she was closed. So I just left her the full cart to deal with. If staff makes me wait more than a minute to resolve a self checkout issue, same thing. Don't give them your business if they can't provide the bare
minimum of customer service.

Same, bae

[Anonymous]

Target, and most retailers, do not really care at all about you shoplifting a lemon or ringing up pink ladies as red delicious. They are more concerned and tracking gift card thievery. So don't do that and you are fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the many times when I've gotten home and have discovered that my watermelon is rotten, that my peaches are mealy and inedible, that my strawberries have that spongy, been frozen consistency, I will absolutely take and extra lemon once in a while.

And FYI when you go to try and "do the right thing" after this happening to you a million times and find your receipt you stand there for 40 minutes until they can find a manager, they then treat YOU like YOUR the problem and give you a hard time even if you just ask for an exchange and not a refund. You can't win at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the many times when I've gotten home and have discovered that my watermelon is rotten, that my peaches are mealy and inedible, that my strawberries have that spongy, been frozen consistency, I will absolutely take and extra lemon once in a while.

You are a disgusting entitled person.

I don't personally steal lemons from the grocery store but you seem much more problematic than PP. They have a point -- grocery stores often sell bad product, mislabel products, or overcharge. My response when this happens more than once at a store is to just choose one of the stores near me that does a better job. But I have a lot of choices for groceries -- there are like 10 different stores within a mile or two of my home. There is a Safeway near me that is particularly bad and I haven't set foot in it in years even though it's a two minute drive.

But if that Safeway was my only store, I'd probably do what PP does. I'm not disgusting or entitled, but if a business treats me like crap as a customer, I'm not going to go out of my way to follow their rules. If they don't like it, run the store better.