Police Department Seeing Increase In Theft At Self-Checkout Lanes

(From the Ottawa Police Department)

A Friendly Reminder from Your Local Police Department

We understand that self-checkout is convenient, quick, and easy. But let’s be clear about one thing:

Every item in your cart must be scanned, and it must be scanned correctly.

Recently, we’ve seen a significant increase in theft at self-checkout lanes. This includes failing to scan items and intentionally scanning items as something less expensive. While it may seem minor in the moment, it is still theft, and charges will be filed when violations are identified.

Self-checkout does not mean “self-pricing.”

We don’t enjoy filing charges over groceries or household items. We would much rather see everyone leave the store having paid for what they selected and go home without any legal trouble.

Please double check your cart, scan every item, and make sure you are paying the correct price. It saves everyone time, money, and unnecessary consequences. They are watching, so, if your transaction is stopped and a cashier has to come over, there is a reason!

Let’s keep it simple:

If it goes in the cart, it gets scanned.

If it gets scanned, it gets paid for.

Thank you for doing the right thing.