Cheeky shopper caught finding a way to ‘game the system’ during self-checkout

A SHOPPER has reportedly found a way to fool the self-checkout system with a clever ploy.

Receipt checks showed she had paid $3.75 for a single box of Pringles – and yet her basket was virtually full, the court was told.

Jennifer Diane Lee Belland, of Frazee, Minn., was charged with felony theft in Becker County District Court, DL-Online reported.

Belland, 30, was accused of finding a way to hide more than $1,000 worth of items at the self-checkout.

The alleged theft was brought to the attention of a Frazee police officer, who was called to the Frazee Family Foods.

Two employees told the officer they suspected Belland had left the store with unpaid merchandise, according to court documents.

The documents say employees were perplexed as to why she would not pay for supposedly scanned items when she had been using the self-checkouts for several weeks.

They also told the officer – who attended the scene on October 29, 2023 – that Belland had taken away an entire cart full of merchandise.

Yet their checks showed she was only billed for a box of Pringles chips – costing $3.75.

She then left the store with the cart full of items.

Employees tried to solve the mystery of how she managed to cheat the store’s system, the court was told.

And they made an interesting discovery.

BUFFER

There was a way to scan an item with a beep, but without it being added to the actual purchase transaction.

The alleged ruse was exposed by checking the store’s CCTV footage, according to the filings.

The store owner and the agent monitored surveillance and noted Belland’s various transactions.

They allegedly saw that she had “scanned” items, but these were then placed in a “stamp” and not paid for.

The court was told Belland allegedly stole unpaid items worth $1,310.75.

This was allegedly carried out in 17 separate transactions between October 1 and 29, following the CCTV investigation.

The agent then spoke with Belland last December about the claims.

She admitted to all the transactions, court documents add.

Belland told the officer she discovered how to carry out the deception “by accident.”

REPAY

She allegedly admitted to stealing $1,310.75 worth of merchandise from Frazee Family Foods.

Belland offered to refund the money upon receipt of a tax refund check.

She is due to appear in court again on May 28.

This is an omnibus hearing before District Court Judge Gretchen Thilmony.

An omnibus hearing is a legal proceeding in which defendants and their attorneys decide whether a person will stand trial, settle the case by pleading guilty, or request additional time.

The Becker County Courthouse is located in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and its jurisdiction extends to all civil, family, probate, juvenile, criminal, and traffic cases filed in Becker County.

DAILY FLIGHT

The United States, one of the world’s largest economies with a high average purchasing power of its consumers, also suffers from a considerable number of retail thefts, Statista said.

“In 2023, 13% of small business owners reported experiencing retail theft every day.

“It is difficult to determine whether retail crime has increased in the United States over time because it is a crime that often goes unreported, or even detected.

“Regardless, there is increased interest in making retail theft a priority in 2024,” the site adds.