Despite encouraging numbers, self-checkout fraud a worrisome occurrence

Despite encouraging numbers, self-checkout fraud a worrisome occurrence
April 30, 2010

A Network World story on retail theft notes self-checkout fraud as a "top tactic" used by retail thieves.

The article notes that, while overall theft numbers are lower at self-checkouts than at traditional registers, understaffed self-checkout stations can overwhelm employees, leading to complacency and the attendant increase in theft. Alarms designed to alert staff to suspicious or incorrect transactions are ignored in such a situation, breaking down one of the solution's primary safeguards.