San Diego-based criminal defense attorney Dod Ghassemkhani has asserted that using self-checkout at grocery stores could result in false accusations of theft, and advised people to avoid using them. On TikTok, the criminal lawyer invites his followers to immediately stop using the self-checkout machines in order to avoid being charged with theft crimes that never existed. In a viral video, he told his fans to immediately stop queuing at these kiosks, because it’s the “number one” way customers are now “caught” stealing. The problem here is that not always those who are “caught” have actually stolen something from the supermarket.
Employees at stores like Walmart, Costco, or Target do inventory checks every other day. If the merchandise is out of stock, a supervisor, or loss prevention officer at the location is notified. Then, they check the CCTV recordings looking for any person who has used the self-checkout kiosks and who has committed alleged thefts.
How Does Innocent Costumers Are Falsely Charged of Theft at the Self-Checkout
The attorney added: “All these stores have a huge asset protection program, tons of loss prevention officers who spend hours reviewing video.” For example, he continued, imagine a mother with a restless toddler who distracts her, and she forgets to scan a product, but not because she is a criminal, but because she is paying attention to her child. She is a potential victim of a false accusation of theft at self-checkout.
Mr Ghassemkhani continued: “You’re going to get a citation for a theft related offense, you might have a defense for it, but a loss prevention officer is not gonna hear it. You’re gonna have to go in front of a judge and embarrass yourself and fight the case that way.”
It is very difficult to fight against a CCTV video from the supermarket where you see yourself taking home an item that you did not scan. I mean, I’m sure you’re not a thief, you’re not a criminal, and you always scan everything, but, if you ever forget to pass the barcode on that Coke can, you might get charged for theft. And you can avoid this from the very beginning.
The Best Way to Avoid Being Falsely Charged of Theft at the Self-Checkout
Well, the best way to avoid being charged with alleged theft crimes at the self-checkout is one and only one: do not use these machines. “Never used a self-checkout line and will never. I’ve left my items and walked out. I’m not your employee, I’m your customer,” the attorney stated.
And this last thing that the lawyer adds is something to consider: you are doing the work of the cashiers: scanning, paying, packing… We’re not employees of the supermarket, forks! This is one of the top reasons costumers are hating the kiosks: they’re leaving people unemployed.