![]() ![]() This has caused a rise in theft traditional checkout theft accounts for just 1.5% of retail inventory loss, but almost 4% for retailers using self-checkout, according to a report*. In an attempt by retailers to cut costs, a lot of stores (especially WalMart) have gotten rid of cashiers, closed checkout lanes, and gone to the self-checkout model. Some stores have no tolerance for self checkout shoplifting Have you ever been in a hurry while grocery shopping? Have you ever felt rushed? Have you ever had several small children with you? Do you find the bagging area too cramped to manage your purchases as you scan them? What used to just be one of the errands in your busy day, for some people, has turned into a trip to jail, having to go to Court and facing the prospects of a large fine and/or jail time. ![]() What used to be a very simple process of having a cashier scan your items and you pay for them has turned into a nightmare for many shoppers recently. With the proliferation of self-checkout lanes at WalMart and other retail stores across the country, charges for self-checkout shoplifting are on the rise. He said such due diligence was the responsibility of Walmart’s outside law firms, which had “expertise” in the area.Self Checkout theft charges on the rise in South Carolina and elsewhere Thompson’s civil case, a senior Walmart manager at the time, said Walmart did not audit whether the people who received the demand letters had committed a crime. “I can’t erase what people think of me in the back of their mind,’’ she said in an interview. Her husband said he had to pay more than $100 to the site’s operator to take down her photo. The day after she reported to jail, an internet police blotter posted her mug shot on a popular Facebook feed. Nurse has still had to repair her reputation. No witnesses from Walmart ever showed up, she said, and her case was eventually dismissed. Nurse said she got at least two letters from Palmer Reifler demanding $200, but she was advised by her lawyer not to pay. She said that Walmart refused to show her video surveillance footage of the alleged crime. Lesleigh Nurse was accused of stealing groceries from a self-checkout line at a Walmart outside Mobile while she shopped with her husband and two children. To date, no retailer has complied with the new requirements, according to state records. ![]() In 2016, the state began requiring retailers to report the number of collection letters they send. ![]() Maryland is one of the few states to revise its shoplifting statutes. Despite numerous lawsuits against retailers and news reports about collection tactics, the laws have remained largely intact. In some states, companies have been able to collect more than the value of the allegedly stolen items, up to $1,000 in some instances. Retailers argued that the penalties would go a long way toward deterring future theft, and that rampant shoplifting ate into already thin profit margins, potentially raising prices for consumers. Starting decades ago, the retail industry lobbied state legislatures for legal recourse to pursue shoplifters with fines. We continually evaluate the effectiveness and benefit of our programs.” “While there are multiple steps that our associates follow before initiating a civil claim against a customer, people can make mistakes,” the company said in a statement. Walmart declined to comment on individual cases, citing continuing litigation. ![]()
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