Woman caught stealing thousands of dollars of electronic equipment in self-service checkout scam

WHEN it comes to self-service theft, this woman’s tactic makes your scanning of mangos as carrots seem like child’s play.

SELF-SERVICE checkout theft usually involves the crime of scanning $10.99 per kg peaches as $3.99 granny smith apples.

While this form of stealing is troublesome, it has nothing on the brazen efforts of Cheyenne Amber West.

On a recent “shopping” trip to Walmart, the Florida woman tried to use the self-service checkout to scam more than $A2,300 worth of electronics for just $A4.20.

The scam involved Ms West removing stickers from clearance items and putting them over the barcodes of an Omen computer, video game controllers and other electronic products.

According to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Ms West and her mother, Alicia, first came to the suspicion of staff watching on video surveillance.

“Walmart loss prevention continued physical surveillance of the suspects as they moved into the clearance department where they removed the labels from clearance items and placed them over the UPC’s (Universal Product Codes) of some of the other selected merchandise,” the deputy told Sebastian Daily.

Cheyenne Amber West was arrested for stealing from Walmart.

Ms West was arrested and transported to the Indian River County Jail where she was charged with felony grand theft, and retail theft.

When asked to explain her actions, Ms West said she was just trying to get some nice gifts for her family.

“I am just trying to get gifts for my son that I cannot afford. The computer is for my husband since he just got me a Coach purse, I figured he deserved something nice as well,” she told the deputy.

Ms West’s mother admitted to knowing what was happening, but defended her daughter’s actions.

“Yes, I know what my daughter was doing but I never walked out with anything, and she is just trying to get gifts for her son,” the mother told the deputy.

In February, a Queensland mum faced court for an elaborate barcode scam that enabled her to steal $4500 in groceries from Coles and Woolworths

The woman photocopied the barcodes from 65c and 72c packets of two-minute noodles, which she then printed and glued to sticky labels and then stuck on more expensive items.

She was jailed for nine months on 31 counts of fraud, however, the sentence was wholly suspended for three years and ordered to repay $1545 to Coles and $2070 to Woolworths.