It was a busy stretch for deputies and Walmart Asset Protection officers as three separate theft investigations led to arrests, including two suspects accused of using barcode tricks at self-checkout and another found carrying controlled substances after being caught shoplifting.
The incidents happened over just a few days and highlight a growing problem retailers face: customers using self-checkout systems to ring up expensive merchandise at bargain-basement prices.
Tuna Packet Barcode Used to Ring Up Higher-Priced Merchandise
In the first case, Asset Protection officers say they watched a shopper use the barcode from a tuna packet worth just 88 cents to scan more expensive merchandise at a dramatically reduced price.
According to the report, the suspect proceeded through self-checkout and paid only the lower amount before attempting to leave the store.
Asset Protection stopped him before he exited with the merchandise.
Deputies arrested Paul Blankenship after arriving on scene.
According to the report, Blankenship made several statements indicating he knew he had been caught, including apologizing and asking if he could simply pay for the merchandise.
The total value of the unpaid items was reported at $82.62.
Store officials also issued Blankenship a trespass notice banning him from Walmart property.
During a search following the arrest, deputies found kratom in his possession. Blankenship reportedly stated he had purchased it legally from a vape shop. The substance was voluntarily surrendered and discarded before he was transported to jail.
Shoplifting Arrest Leads to Drug Discovery
A second theft investigation began when Asset Protection employees observed a woman allegedly concealing merchandise inside and underneath her purse while shopping.
Deputies remained with store personnel while they monitored the suspect through security cameras.
Investigators reported seeing merchandise hidden in the side of her purse before she proceeded through checkout without paying for all the items.
After she passed the final point of sale, she was detained and arrested.
The theft case quickly became more serious.
According to the report, deputies discovered a small Hello Kitty capsule hanging around the woman’s neck during a search incident to arrest.
Inside were several prescription medications, including clonazepam, buprenorphine, and gabapentin.
Investigators noted that none of the medications were stored in prescription bottles.
The pills were seized as evidence, and the woman was transported to jail.
Box Bed Scheme Ends With Arrest
Two days later, Asset Protection officers say they spotted another customer attempting a variation of the same scheme.
According to investigators, Gabriel Darnell removed a UPC barcode from a lower-priced item and attached it to a boxed bed.
Store personnel continued monitoring him as he moved through the store selecting additional merchandise.
When Darnell reached self-checkout, investigators say he scanned the altered barcode, causing the boxed bed to ring up at a much lower price than its actual value.
Loss Prevention also reported that he failed to scan a utility knife that remained in his cart.
After paying for only a portion of the merchandise, Darnell left the checkout area and passed all points of sale.
He was detained by Asset Protection and later transported to jail on a theft charge.
Why Retailers Watch Self-Checkout So Closely
Retail theft investigators say barcode switching has become one of the most common forms of self-checkout fraud.
The scheme typically involves moving a barcode from a cheaper item onto a more expensive one, allowing a customer to pay only a fraction of the true price.
Modern retailers use a combination of surveillance cameras, transaction monitoring software, and Asset Protection officers to identify suspicious activity.
In these three cases, deputies say those systems helped stop multiple theft attempts before the merchandise left the store for good.
