A Walmart shopper filmed herself attempting to steal an item at the self-checkout before allegedly being caught by a laughing employee.
"POV: When you usually don't get caught and now you're banned for 2 years from all Walmarts in my area," Nesha wrote over the video, accompanied by Cleotrapa's Rockstar.
In the twenty-second clip, Nesha scans an item at the retailer's self-checkout system, then pretends to scan a pink sequined backpack before slipping it into her shopping bag.
Highlights
- Nesha, who goes by @OhThatsNesh on TikTok, was escorted outside of Walmart and banned after filming herself attempting to steal a backpack.
- Walmart uses AI technology to catch shoplifters at the retailer's self-checkout.
- Nesha's "Stealing gone wrong" video went viral, garnering over 2 million views.
Image credits: ohthatsnesh
As the AI system detects that she didn't scan the backpack, a sign comes up on the screen, reading, "Associate is on the way."
The worker in question then scans her card, and the screen changes to a "Missed Scan Detected" message, showing a recording of Nesha moving the backpack over the self-checkout register without actually scanning it.
The shopper directs her phone camera toward another woman in a Walmart uniform, who can be seen covering her mouth as she laughs at the incident.
"Even though she laughed … she called the manager.. police and had us escorted outside #stealinggonewrong #fyp #viral" Nesha captioned the clip.
Nesha said she was escorted outside and banned from all Walmart stores in her area for two years
Image credits: Walmart Canada
Walmart began implementing its "Missed Scan Detection" technology in 2017, according to Business Insider.
This anti-theft technology uses artificial intelligence, computer vision systems, and big data to digitize checkout surveillance.
Nesha's video received over 2 million views since it was shared on her TikTok account on September 10. In the comments, many users condemned her actions, while others shared how their local Walmart handles similar cases of theft.
"Yeah that's why now we don't have self-checkout. It really makes me mad," one user wrote.
Image credits: ohthatsnesh
"I never got people who steal," commented another. "I'm not talking about the people who literally can't afford food. I'm talking about the people who have money and still steal."
"They took all the self-checkouts out of all the Walmarts where I live because of this," a third user shared.
"There are so so many cameras at the register at almost every angle so they can 100% see when you don't scan an item. They are simply building a case against you," somebody else suggested.
According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, US retailers lost $112 billion to shrinkage in 2022, up from $93.9 billion in 2021.
The term is used by retailers to describe merchandise losses from theft, fraud, scanning errors, and other causes.
The influencer added that she usually didn't get caught stealing at the retailer's self-checkout
Image credits: ohthatsnesh
External theft accounted for an average of 36% of total loss. Meanwhile, internal (employee) theft was reported at 29% of shrink loss. Process, control failures, and errors came in at 27%, with unknown (6%) and other (1%) rounding out the total shrink loss percentages, the report notes.
The retail sectors most affected by shrinkage are pharmacies, grocery stores, department stores, and mass merchandise retailers. In contrast, segments including jewelry, watches, home furnishings, and footwear report fewer losses from this type of crime.
Walmart in particular loses an estimated $3 billion every year due to theft, with the average theft costing the Arkansas-based retailer $200, as per a 2024 report by Gitnux.
Walmart's "Missed Scan Detected" technology uses artificial intelligence, computer vision systems, and big data
Image credits: ohthatsnesh
"The policy is to take the item away from them and tell them something like, 'Oh, I think the machine didn't scan it.' And if they don't want it, then we take it away. If they do want it, we scan it," a Walmart employee in Missouri explained.
Many customers who get caught act defensive or confused, she shared, noting that the close monitoring of the self-checkout technology "feels more confrontational than it was before because it's right there — the evidence is right there."
Image credits: ohthatsnesh
Watch Nesha's clip below
During a 2022 interview on CNBC, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said that theft at the stores was "higher than what it has historically been."
If this trend continues over time without the expected response from law enforcement, the thefts could lead to Walmart closing stores and/or price jumps, McMillon added.
Many Americans don't feel remorseful after stealing at the self-checkout system. Of the 15% of self-checkout users who confessed to purposely stealing, 44% of them said they would likely do it again.
Bored Panda has contacted Nesha and Walmart for comment.
