Written by Ishita Srivastava Dailymail.Com
Updated October 14, 2023 15:24, October 14, 2023 20:11
- Walmart uses scan miss detection technology at self-checkout machines to reduce theft
- This caused customers to become confused and act defensively or sometimes aggressively.
- Employees say buyers have started throwing items at their faces.
Walmart’s decision to install anti-theft technology in stores nationwide has made customers “hostile and dangerous to untrained staff,” an employee told Insider.
Employees say the retailer’s computer vision technology closely monitors self-checkouts and thwarts potential theft, causing customers to become confused or act defensively or even aggressively. He says he will.
The system, internally referred to by employees as “Missed Scan Detection,” lights up a light on each counter when an unscanned item is detected.
The machine then automatically shuts down and sends a text notification to nearby staff, forcing the customer to “call for help.”
The employee then acts as if there is something wrong with the machine and directs the purchaser to checkout at the register.
Walmart explicitly instructs its employees to “act stupid” and strictly prohibits direct accusations of theft.
But Mendy, who has worked at a Walmart store in Arkansas for 10 years, said the loss-cutting system is starting to backfire on store employees, some of whom are throwing merchandise in their faces.
Walmart spokesperson Joe Pennington told Insider, “Like other retailers, theft is always a challenge, and we’re always looking for better ways to address this issue.” This includes enhanced technology at checkout. ”
News of a customer attacking an employee comes a week after a woman on an electric scooter punched a police officer in the face during a store meltdown over an alleged theft.
In the outrageous video posted on Reddit, the suspect can be seen arguing with a police officer near a cash register and then attacking him.
Although the officer’s voice cannot be clearly heard in the video, viewers can hear the woman yelling, “Yes, I did it.” Yes, I did,” I repeated over and over again.
She repeatedly says “drag me” before the cameraman changes the angle to a shot from a nearby cash register.
The unidentified woman then grabbed something from her belt, threw a bottle of ginger ale at the officer and a bag of classic Lay’s chips at the cashier next to her.
Then she scuttles through the snack shelves in the aisle, gets up from her electric scooter and rummages on the other side of the merchandise.
In an attempt to stop the customer from causing further harm, the officer grabbed her by the shoulder and immediately shoved him in the face, ripping off his glasses.
The two got into a brief altercation as the woman pushed shelves, candy and magazines to the floor before the officer tackled her.
Customers could be seen flocking together as Walmart employees tried to keep customers as far away as possible.
A police officer was seen on top of the woman, trying his best to control her. In the middle of the process, her left shoe fell off and she said: “Damn, white trash.”
At this point, another officer, who appeared to be in off-duty uniform, began cleaning the area around the other officer who continued to struggle with the woman.
While the officers were still trying to subdue her, the woman yelled, “Take me to jail.”
He was soon able to begin handcuffing her as she loudly shouted, “Walmart is racist.”
More spectators began to gather at the disturbing scene, where one officer struggled to handcuff her but was eventually able to do so. He flips her onto her side as she continues to scream, “Walmart is fucking racist.”
It’s still unclear what she was accused of stealing and what happened after the wild encounter.
In January, a Walmart employee was caught on camera being hit in the head by two would-be thieves after he tried to leave the store pushing two shopping carts filled to the brim.
In a short clip posted on TikTok, two brazen shoplifters were captured on cellphone footage pushing a cart full of items toward the store’s exit.
One of the robbers was seen grabbing multiple coat hangers and hitting the female clerk in the head several times.
Employees hunker down to avoid collisions, but it makes little sense.
A second shoplifting accomplice then appeared wearing a bright red towel over his head to avoid being identified.
Rather than face the clerk, they realize the jig is up and walk straight out the door.
Last month, Walmart in Atlanta announced it was ready to add a police station, or mini-station, on its premises to serve as a shoplifting deterrent and work space for police officers.
The store is scheduled to open in May 2024 after being closed for almost a year after shoplifters set the building on fire to distract from theft.
In addition to acting as a deterrent to criminal activity, the mini-stations also serve as a place for officers to recharge and complete paperwork.
Earlier this year, a Walmart employee took to TikTok to reveal that despite stopping 373 customers from shoplifting over a 12-month period, he only received a 60% raise in compensation.
Alexander Buckner, from Alabama “Last year, we caught 373 people stealing from Walmart, and we realized we only got a 60 cent raise.”
Opinions were divided in the comments section regarding compensation from the company.
In September, it was reported that Walmart alone loses $3 billion a year to theft and shoplifting.
