A Michigan woman is being charged after allegedly stealing items from Walmart by not scanning all of her items at the self-checkout.
Police say 34-year-old TeddyJo Marie Fliam was using the self-checkout at an Alpena County Walmart when loss prevention workers noticed she wasn’t scanning every item. Fliam became agitated and denied she was skipping items when confronted by a loss prevention worker and left the store, according to a report from Fox 2.
The incident caused the store to review its surveillance footage, which showed Fliam had stolen more than $1,000 in merchandise by not scanning it from the Walmart since April.
WALMART IS USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO PREVENT CHECKOUT THEFT
TeddyJo Marie Fliam
(Michigan State Police)
Fliam was arrested at her Alpena home last month and is charged with first-degree retail fraud.
The Alpena County Walmart’s loss prevention team has recently begun to crack down on thefts at the self-checkout, with Michigan State Police recording two similar incidents in which people were arrested after swapping barcodes while checking out items.
Walmart began using artificial intelligence to crack down on self-checkout thefts in 2019, using cameras to make sure every item that has been bagged was scanned.
A Walmart in Pittston Township, Pennsylvania.
(Google Maps)
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The system, known internally as Missed Scan Detection, can monitor both self- and manned checkout stations and reports potential missed scans to an attendant who can investigate.
“Walmart is making a true investment to ensure the safety of our customers and associates,” a Walmart spokesperson said at the time. “Over the last three years, the company has invested over half a billion dollars in an effort to prevent, reduce and deter crime in our stores and parking lots. We are continuously investing in people, programs and technology to keep our stores and communities safe.”
