Going all out to combat shoplifting is nothing new for mass retailers like Target and Walmart. Unfortunately, the increased use of automatic payments has made it easier to get away with this petty crime.

That’s why these major brands recently made changes to reduce the amount people were stealing through self-checkout. While Target seemed to suggest that changing the automated checkout lanes to “10 items or less” this spring had more to do with transaction speed than shoplifting, a few months later they started using new technologies. right USA TodayTarget started using something called Truscan. The software not only tells the shopper when an item has not been scanned correctly, but also helps the store track repeat offenders.

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According to a company called DigimarkWalmart began using its invisible barcodes on Great Value brand products. These barcodes, paired with Digimarc’s image-based scanners, have helped Walmart speed up self-checkout transactions because shoppers don’t have to look for barcodes on packaging. That was the point, though The Daily Mail explains that it also helped reduce shoplifting. They explain that if the product with a bar is waved over the auto-pay to make it look like it’s being scanned when it’s not, the cameras will pick it up and register it for payment anyway.

The improvement anywhere is a step in the right direction for Walmart, which owns 26 stores in Idaho. According to the kiosk industryWalmart lost $6.5 billion to retail theft last year.

Shoplifting in Idaho At a Glance

Idaho probably contributed to that figure in some way, shape or form. right 2023 Crimes in Idaho Reportmore than 30% of all theft/theft offenses were thefts. Department stores and discount stores were the most affected, followed by grocery stores and convenience stores.

I couldn’t find an Idaho law that specifically spells out the punishment for shoplifting, but if you’re stopped for taking a five-finger cut, you could be charged with petit larceny, willful concealment of property, or grand larceny (depending of the value of what you stole.) Depending on what you’re charged with, you could face fines of $1,000 to $5,000 or anywhere from six months to twenty years in prison. No matter how hard times are, it’s just not worth it.

What items are most commonly stolen from Walmart stores in Idaho?

The big-box retailer is already known for having some of the lowest prices on everything from grocery essentials to popular electronics, but they’re still a target for shoplifters. “Corridor of Shame” reviewed news articles and crowdsourced information on sites like Reddit and Quora from people who work or have worked at Walmart stores. That’s what they discovered.