Sumter County Sheriff?s Office seeks help in identifying shoplifter
 

On June 3, 2023, a retail theft occurred at 270 Heald Way, The Villages, within Sumter County, at the Walmart Neighborhood Market. It was determined a female entered the store, selected multiple items, proceeded to the self-checkout where she canned the items, and ultimately left the store without paying for the items. At the end

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Can anyone read this story and NOT feel good about the quality of law enforcement around here?

A lot of us come from areas where shoplifting cases are seen as a waste of time for the law to pursue. Not here. If things hold true to form I'm pretty confident that the people involved in this will be apprehended.

Retailers experience a 50% higher rate of loss when using self-checkout systems. This statistic is a stark reminder of the potential risks associated with self-checkout systems.Apr 12, 2023

And if they catch this person, the excuse will be " it's not my fault, I'm not trained in scanning " LOL

Since the thief was in a golf cart, I guess we can probably assume they are a Villages resident, so should be easy to identify the culprit. We all pay for people who shoplift.

They seriously need to upgrade the quality of the security cameras to a higher resolution. And yes, shoplifting needs to taken seriously and prosecuted, all of us honest law abiding citizens have to pay higher prices because of it.

I think it entirely possible that this is not a case of intentional theft. For those who don't click on the link... a woman went to self check-out. She scanned her items which included alcohol. You cannot self check alcohol because your age needs to be verified. A Walmart employee came and the woman produced her ID to prove her age. Then she took her bags and left.

I know my driver's license is in the same wallet as my credit card. When I self check-out I need to take out my wallet, use the credit card, and I am done. She had to take out her wallet and perhaps even remove her ID. Easy to see how one could feel like you've completed the needed steps.

I would only add that the quality of the photo produced is terrible. One would think at this new and recently remodeled Walmart there would be high quality images available from the self check out camera. EDIT: typing while above comment re cameras was posted

That's exactly what my first thought was...she thought she was finished and left.

Oopsie
 

Precisely our immediate thoughts. Hell, I'm just as likely to forget and leave my dern wallet sitting there. . .

did an alarm go off when she left the store? is there a video showing her to be in a rush to get away? is this the only picture of this?
I am also guessing that she accidentally did this. unless of course there is past incidences.....

Further pondering
 

Further pondering has me picturing the next shopper checking out and noticing that the total is too high and the list of items too long. No idea how long the subsequent steps might take to start running down the "culprit". Should she pack a lunch when comes into the sheriff's office to turn herself in??

Guess I still haven't gotten over the shock that stores offer this "self check-out" option, given what I've come to understand about human nature. Honor systems don't even seem to have that fine a record at the Ivies. I think I've read that groceries have something like a 1% profit margin. Can't wrap my head around how that and self check-out - along with the "usual" "slippage" could work.

Some TOTV's days seem to be much more entertaining than others. :-)

I have never been asked for an ID at Walmart to purchase alcohol at the self checkout. They just push a button to allow the purchase. Walgreens does require ID, but Walmart and Publix do not.

I suppose if you look obviously over age 21, they feel they don't need to check ID. Reasonable for a store serving a large Villages customer base.

I have relayed to the person overseeing the self check outs that with a choice to get a receipt there, email it, or text it that there would be an opportunity to steal - just say I never got the email or text. Stupid idea - get your receipt when you pay!

I agree, but Walgreens always requires an ID, regardless of how old you look.