TWO women have been arrested after allegedly stealing $876.26 worth of goods from Walmart.
The alleged shoplifters were able to take items without paying by using a self-checkout trick where thieves put a sticker of a cheaper item on a more expensive item, commonly known as the “switcheroo.”
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Keaveona Natao’Peoples Beaucejour, 23, and Teeyana Rysha Mims, 20, were accused of stealing from a Walmart in Ocala, Florida by a loss prevention worker, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s arrest report obtained by Ocala-News.
The employee told a deputy that Beaucehour and Mims didn’t scan or pay for multiple items in their shopping cart while at self-checkout, which was reportedly caught on surveillance footage.
Beaucehour and Mims were also accused of using stickers from lower-priced items on expensive items when scanning some items, the worker alleged.
After they were caught, Beaucejour and Mims both denied stealing goods from Walmart – which ran a total loss of $876.26.
Mims told a deputy that “it was possible some items were scanned under a different bar code by accident,” the outlet reports.
The store employee also accused Beaucejour and Mims of a prior theft that occurred on March 24.
After reviewing surveillance footage from the incident, the deputy noted that both of them were allegedly seen skipping over multiple items at self-checkout.
A total of $165.42 of merchandise was stolen in that prior incident, according to the arrest report.
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However, Beaucejour and Mims have no prior criminal convictions, according to the outlet.
The two are currently facing a felony charge for grand theft and a misdemeanor charge for first-degree petit theft.
Organized retail crime has been increasing in major retail stores across the United States.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon gave a warning to shoppers in December about retail crime potentially causing store closures.
“Theft is an issue. It’s higher than what it has historically been,” he told CNBC.
He warned that “prices will be higher, and/or stores will close,” if the situation doesn’t improve.
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https://www.the-sun.com/news/8228678/walmart-stealing-self-checkout-switcheroo-arrested/