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Bit by bit, self-checkout systems have been popping up in Japanese conveniences stores and supermarkets over the past few years. With these developments, some have worried whether the rapidly aging population here would be able to adapt to the new technology.
However, it seems some have adapted to them so well that they’ve used it to enter a life of electronic crime. This was the case for one unidentified 83-year-old resident of Kainan City, Wakayama Prefecture, who now faces charges of computer fraud.
When self-checkouts were installed in her local supermarket, the savvy shopper noticed that it scanned the half-price sticker on her item and automatically deducted the price. Realizing that the sticker alone was the key to making that particular scanner give her a 50-percent discount, she simply peeled one off another product and stuck it onto something else she was going to buy.
The woman did it again and again on future visits to the supermarket. However, on Dec 4 at approximately 6:50 p.m., she was affixing a half-off sticker to a carton of eggs valued at 246 yen, when suddenly a security guard apprehended her at the checkout.
Unbeknown to her, the manager of this supermarket was very thorough with checking the sales records and noticed that items were being sold at discount which shouldn’t have been. By the time she was ready to pull the egg job, he had already stationed guards to monitor the self-checkouts and catch anyone in the act.
After being turned over to the police, the woman admitted to her crimes both past and present that totaled three incidents which, based on her most recent caper, must have resulted in upwards of 500 yen in damages. On Dec 6, she was released on her own recognizance and currently awaits formal charges to be pressed against her.
Readers of the news condemned her actions, but also couldn’t help but be impressed with her ingenuity.
“Seriously?! Those stickers work no matter what barcode they’re used with.”
“83-years-old? Pretty late to go bad. She probably wasn’t poor either, just wanted the discounts.”
“I never even knew those stickers worked at self-checkouts.”
“You can use those stickers at self-checkouts?! I’m always embarrassed when the clerk announces it.”
“She’s pretty smart.”
“Computer fraud…at 83…”
“Who knew you could put half-off stickers on whatever you want?”
Of course, as this woman found the hard way, being able to put stickers on whatever item you want doesn’t mean you should do it. Considering her age, the small monetary damage, and the fact that she cooperated with the authorities, she’s probably looking at a suspended sentence wherein she must keep her distance from self-checkouts.
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun
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- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2020/12/12/elderly-wakayama-woman-arrested-for-hacking-her-local-supermarkets-self-checkout/
43 Comments
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Kinkazan Morava
Hahaha, gotta love that country.
Poor old lady for stealing $5 and being kept in jail for that. She is old enough to have paid for everything simply by just living in that country. If I was the manager I would have left her to go and told her to come and see me if in trouble for food. Here in the USA, they throw away food at crazy rates.
Gotta love that self-confession of this lady, hahaha there you go crime solved.
How deep their hypocrisy goes ...
Steve
Wow, One smart 83 year old. If you find something that works (not that I support stealing), don't overdo it.
SandyBeachHeaven
You can save a fortune without cheating by knowing all your stores and the sales or special prices they have. I shop at five different stores for food. Save a fortune and do not have to peel and restick tags. How the heck did she peel those anyway. They tear holes in the plastic underneath.
Zaphod
Fighto!
The article says this was one of these automated self-checkouts (which alas seem to be the future), so there is no cashier involved.
kurisupisu
She’ll be writing her book soon too...
Monozuki
Ha-ha., petty crime. But no-no. :‑(
serendipitous1
3RENSHO
Well, that gave me a chortle. So true!
Dan Lavender
@kohakuebisu....( I think the money saved and the thrill (dopamine hit) of stealing, with little perceived risk of being caught, is the motivator here).
She is 83 for goodness sake!She did it for the thrill?! Don't be daft !
oyatoi
Even at half price, ¥246 yen eggs is hardly savvy shopping for a pensioner. Unless she’s very picky and wants overpriced ヨド or the like, she’s much better off waiting until one of her neighborhood スーパー does one of their frequent ¥100 deals when the total value of your basket exceeds ¥1,000. Re: naming and shaming; it’s no doubt meant as a warning to countless others who are up to the same tricks. Compassion deficit, yes! But petty crime adds up and all of us end up paying more to make up for the assault on their bottom line.
Tu Hung Lo
This reminds me of "O Brother Where Art Thou?" when Everett was punched and told to "Stay out of the Woolworth's".
kohakuebisu
The cheapest eggs in the supermarket will be less than 246 yen. I therefore doubt this is a very poor person doing this purely out of need. I think the money saved and the thrill (dopamine hit) of stealing, with little perceived risk of being caught, is the motivator here.
DNALeri
No excuse for what she did, but her pension is probably about 50-60 000 yen a month. Not enough to live on.
browny1
Dan Lavender - spoken with true common sense.
Speaking frankly to her in private, showing security cam footage and mentioning the "Police" next time would have been more than enough.
And then given her something would have been a true gesture of kindness, albeit with a stern warning.
From my experiences in lesser non-felony matters involving the police, the rigmarole in this case would have been off the charts I'm sure.
Dan Lavender
a crime is a crime unless you are a politician then it's part of your job!
83 yr old woman...Japanese have no heart.
No need to call the police.
Just forbid her from shopping there if you have to.
I would have given her a food parcel and sent her on her way.
robert maes
Disgraceful from the “ manager” and the supermarket. Should have asked if she had trouble and if so give her a nice Christmas present. No more compassion in this world and in Japan they always attack and prey on the weak.
500 yen, what a hero that manager, give him a gold medal. Better do his job by stopping to throw away 20 % or more of the food and use less plastic junk.
calling police on a 83 year old is disgusting.
therougou
What part of self-checkout did you miss?
Oxycodin
This very common in Japan dating back to the 90s
Meiyouwenti
The moral of this news story: don’t try that at your local supermarket.
garypen
Nope. Those stickers are put on various items at various times, depending on their expiration dates. (They may use varying and increasing amounts, 20%, 30%, etc, as the date approaches, as well.)
You'll also see them on prepared foods and bentos late in the day, as they'd prefer to sell them at cost or even slight loss than throw them away.
There is no "list" of those items like there would be for advertised sale items.
garypen
How would that make this "crime" impossible? The price of the eggs was fixed, not charged by weight. And, the sticker is read like a coupon, reducing that fixed price by 50%. Weighing the product would have no effect on what she did.
Dan Lavender
If she multiplied her crime by millions/billions of yen she could become PM of Japan! or at least henchman like Kawaii & co.
The poor are penalised and the rich elites rewarded!!
NOMINATION
Kansai is bargaining Central in Japan where people try to negotiate something that is 10yen and get it for 5yen. Let her go since she is old and at least paid some money. Then ban her from that supermarket.
Concerned Citizen
They should take her age and circumstances into account. If found to be living in poverty but otherwise of good character, admonish her, let her go, but keep an eye on her. And have the local neighborhood rally together to help her out.
dagon
News at 11:People resort to depression era food strategies in a depression.
She should have dreamt bigger , like for example a certain firm that starts with "D" and shall not be named, and defrauded a nation of trillions of yen on a sporting event scheme.
moonbloom
Generally people are driven by poverty to consider doing such things.
Fanny Greene
at least she wasnt half assed about being dishonest
Mickelicious
Unidentified item in the journalism area.
Do the hustle
Here in Australia all the self serve check outs register the weight of each product, which makes this kind of petty crime impossible.
Yubaru
Steal 500 yen, you are a thief, steal billions, and you get to be PM!"
Yubaru
Hell, she isnt going to be taken to court, she will get the equivalent of a slap on the hand, and pay some fine, and restitution, and probably never be allowed to go back to that store again.
Jonathan Prin
Can people read : we're talking about 500 yens ...
And the system of sales can be manipulated by a 6 year old playing stickers. I did that around that age without knowing.
Once I had a discount without knowing because someone had put one of those stickers on a product (not in Japan).
Abe and co can steal billions of yens but that grandma at to be arrested for 2 days.
Shame, shame, shame on Nippon justice system. A fine/damages would have been enough, especially if first time offender.
And going on JT by the way, was that necessary since I am dozens of cases happen everyday.
At least, they were nice enough to not throw her name to the mob.
Fighto!
Not a smart plan at all since the cashiers should have a list of the discounted items. So she would have been caught sooner or later.
For an old woman over a few hundred yen I really think publicly shaming her and banning her for life from the shop would have been more appropriate than getting police and the courts involved. She may well be in poverty.
Speed
I saw this dastardly trick on "Sukatto Japan"! Who would've thought that art would one day imitate life?? So simple but yet absolutely genius.
Freddy Freeway
83 years young. She's probably been getting by in life gaming the system for decades.
3RENSHO
A fair enough settlement -- in America, she would have been overpowered by 2 or 3 burly security guards and wrestled to the floor, then tasered (or shot!) if she showed any resistance...