3rd of people steal from self-service check-outs
Discussion
"Nearly a third of British shoppers have admitted stealing from supermarkets after taking advantage of unmanned self-service checkouts.
The customers, many of whom would not have dreamt of shoplifting under the noses of staff, use a range of tricks to dupe the automatic machines into giving them money off their shopping.
The canny criminal tactics include selecting cheaper fruit and vegetables while weighing their purchases and selecting “small” when asked to enter the size of items.
Others use the most rudimentary method of placing items in plastic shopping bags without scanning them properly, while others simply walk off with their full load without paying
The results, gleaned from a survey of nearly 5,000 customers on money saving website watchmywallet.co.uk, showed 30 per cent have now stolen from self-service tills.
A further 13 per cent admitted they did not steal only because they were afraid of getting caught.
Another 58 per cent said they had not cheated the automated system, saying they considered it stealing and would never do it.
A spokesman for watchmywallet.co.uk said: “Checkouts are calibrated to detect when an unpaid for item makes it into the bagging area, giving rise to the now famous phrase "unexpected item in the bagging area."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddri...
I'm shocked just how many people thieve given the chance. Even if the costs of stealing are less than the costs of employing checkout people I hope supermarkets remove these machines as it seems they help to normalise theft in the minds of rather a lot of the population.
The customers, many of whom would not have dreamt of shoplifting under the noses of staff, use a range of tricks to dupe the automatic machines into giving them money off their shopping.
The canny criminal tactics include selecting cheaper fruit and vegetables while weighing their purchases and selecting “small” when asked to enter the size of items.
Others use the most rudimentary method of placing items in plastic shopping bags without scanning them properly, while others simply walk off with their full load without paying
The results, gleaned from a survey of nearly 5,000 customers on money saving website watchmywallet.co.uk, showed 30 per cent have now stolen from self-service tills.
A further 13 per cent admitted they did not steal only because they were afraid of getting caught.
Another 58 per cent said they had not cheated the automated system, saying they considered it stealing and would never do it.
A spokesman for watchmywallet.co.uk said: “Checkouts are calibrated to detect when an unpaid for item makes it into the bagging area, giving rise to the now famous phrase "unexpected item in the bagging area."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddri...
I'm shocked just how many people thieve given the chance. Even if the costs of stealing are less than the costs of employing checkout people I hope supermarkets remove these machines as it seems they help to normalise theft in the minds of rather a lot of the population.
I'm not surprised. A couple of weeks ago the rather posh lady next to my checkout was having problems with the self-checkout. Indignant until an employee came over and said "Yes madam, the problem you're having there is that you have pressed 2 bananas, when actually there are four in your bag.
I made sure that my sniggering was sufficiently unsubtle to ensure she won't be tempted into further fruity heists on my manor.
I made sure that my sniggering was sufficiently unsubtle to ensure she won't be tempted into further fruity heists on my manor.
carreauchompeur said:
I'm not surprised. A couple of weeks ago the rather posh lady next to my checkout was having problems with the self-checkout. Indignant until an employee came over and said "Yes madam, the problem you're having there is that you have pressed 2 bananas, when actually there are four in your bag.
I made sure that my sniggering was sufficiently unsubtle to ensure she won't be tempted into further fruity heists on my manor.
I made sure that my sniggering was sufficiently unsubtle to ensure she won't be tempted into further fruity heists on my manor.
blindswelledrat said:
I find it shocking, although I did once select the "zero bags" option in marks and spencer out of principle which I accept is exactly the same as stealing.
BUt I consider them charging me for bags under a ridiculous pretext as stealing so I am happy to do same
You thieving BUt I consider them charging me for bags under a ridiculous pretext as stealing so I am happy to do same
scum bd 
blindswelledrat said:
I find it shocking, although I did once select the "zero bags" option in marks and spencer out of principle which I accept is exactly the same as stealing.
BUt I consider them charging me for bags under a ridiculous pretext as stealing so I am happy to do same
Get used to paying for bags people we have been paying for ages now in Wales only a matter of time until the UK Government jump on the bandwagon. BUt I consider them charging me for bags under a ridiculous pretext as stealing so I am happy to do same
CBR JGWRR said:
DanDC5 said:
I've done the opposite, bought a few bits on my dinner a couple of weeks ago, paid for everything and then noticed when I got back to work I'd left my chewing gum on the till!
I once left my helmet on the till...DanDC5 said:
CBR JGWRR said:
DanDC5 said:
I've done the opposite, bought a few bits on my dinner a couple of weeks ago, paid for everything and then noticed when I got back to work I'd left my chewing gum on the till!
I once left my helmet on the till...Fortunately it got handed in.
JonnyFive said:
I use these self service tills every day, have never stolen from them. Would never understand why people would do so.
Yep, I love them. They're fast and marginally more entertaining than queueing up and then making small talk with a bored cashier. I've never stolen from them either, but do have to admit that almost 100% of the time I'm using them, I'm planning the "perfect crime". I *could* just push this button, then put that thing in my bag.. or scan that thing and put those two things in my bag, etc. Never actually done it though, and never would. Pretty soon I reckon everything will have those small RFID tags on them. We'll just fill our trollies and walk through an archway which will scan and total everything. Even the things some people have in their pockets.
Anyway, I love the self service tills
Use these every day, have done for years. Can't say it's that easy to steal from them, I've never had the opportunity to select 'small' instead of large for an item? I guess it is store dependant on the technology. But I've never been tempted, nor have I stolen. It's not the technology, it's the fact this country is full of dishonest people. Especially users of that website by the sounds of it..
carreauchompeur said:
I'm not surprised. A couple of weeks ago the rather posh lady next to my checkout was having problems with the self-checkout. Indignant until an employee came over and said "Yes madam, the problem you're having there is that you have pressed 2 bananas, when actually there are four in your bag.
I made sure that my sniggering was sufficiently unsubtle to ensure she won't be tempted into further fruity heists on my manor.
I made sure that my sniggering was sufficiently unsubtle to ensure she won't be tempted into further fruity heists on my manor.
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