A WEGMANS shopper has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing more than $400 worth of groceries.
Cops said Shenitta Harris failed to scan items while at the self-checkout machine.
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Officers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania said Harris, 55, put “high-end” seafood in her shopping cart.
The total amount of groceries Harris allegedly put in her cart came to $412.46, according to cops.
Officers said that surveillance footage captured Harris pushing her cart to the aisles where baby products are stored.
She is accused of putting bags that she had brought with her over the goods.
Cops said Harris went to the self-checkout area but didn’t pay for the goods.
She has been charged with theft following the incident on May 11.
Police have said that Harris is wanted and anyone with information should call 717-569-6401.
Cops have said that Harris has previously been convicted of 11 retail thefts.
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While there is no evidence that Harris was part of a broader crime ring, organized retail crime has become a persistent threat to major supermarkets.
Mark Mathews, the vice president for research development and industry analysis at the National Retail Federation, described organized retail crime as a burgeoning threat.
He warned: “These highly sophisticated criminal rings jeopardize employee and customer safety and disrupt store operations.”
Macy’s CEO, Jeff Gennette, warned that organized retail crime is growing in many parts of the US.
He said: “These are crime levels we haven’t seen before.”
Brian Cornell, the CEO of Target, alluded to the impact of shrinkage on putting huge pressure on the company’s finances.
In an earnings call earlier this month, he warned: “The unfortunate fact is, violent incidents are increasing at our stores and across the entire retail industry.
“And when products are stolen, simply put, they’re no longer available for guests who depend on them.
“And left unchecked, theft and organized retail crime degrade the communities we call home.”
Last September, experts at the National Retail Federation revealed that shrinkage cost retailers $94billion.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/8207071/wegmans-shopper-charged-theft-self-checkout/