Man attempts LCD TV theft using water bottle UPC, fails

Oh, shoplifters of the world -- you're not going to unite and take over with these kinds of tactics. A Kirksville, MO. man was arrested on Thursday for trying to boost a $517 Viore (yeah) LCD television by swapping the UPC tag with one from a $3.16 bottle of water. Apparently, cashiers weren't fooled by the admittedly paper-thin maneuver, and after four swipe attempts, a replaced paper spool, and one PA announcement for a store manager to come to register 14, they had the super-genius switcher thrown in the big house. If convicted, the man faces up to seven years in prison plus a hefty fine... and the lifelong shame of having tried to pull this stunt off.

[Via Fark]

[Steve Jones @ Apr 26th 2008 5:54AM]

Dude if you can't afford it, steal it! At least this way you'll have less chance of looking like a cnut.

[happy_penguin @ Apr 26th 2008 6:08AM]

What the hell is a cnut? :p

[Steve Jones @ Apr 26th 2008 6:09AM]

Keeping it work safe!

[happy_penguin @ Apr 26th 2008 6:12AM]

HAHA... okay I get it now, Steve... That's actually one of my favourite of names to call someone, as long as it isn't a lady... save for a very few. :D

It's so British, :D.

[Mat @ Apr 26th 2008 7:40AM]

I believe he was an exceptionally tall and handsome King of England, Denmark, Norway, and some of Sweden, that is, except for his nose.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canute_the_Great

[Cunthor @ Apr 26th 2008 8:03AM]

@ happy

You can say that again.

[deyanimay @ Apr 26th 2008 8:29AM]

Hey wouldn't it be funny if someone else switched the stickers as a prank and this guy took the fall.

[BrettB @ Apr 26th 2008 9:46AM]

Unless this guy kept insisting that the TV was only $3.16 and that's all he was willing to pay, I have a hard time seeing how they're going to prosecute him. If I show up at the checkout and the clerk starts scanning prices and it seems wrong, and they call over the manager for a look and find the UPC is switched, I sure hope they don't carry me away in cuffs. I'm not saying this guy is not guilty, but based on what is written above, I think this guy is going to walk. Actually, it reminds me of a time at a grocery store when I was buying a six-pack of some fancy italian soda. The price scanned was around a dollar. I pointed out to the cashier that the price scanned was probably only for one bottle, not all six, and that she should try a different bar code. She tried another one and it came up the same. She said not to worry about it but I was worried and asked her to have the manager come over. I try to be honest at all times and didn't want to walk out of their not paying what I should. The manager came over, tried scanning it, and came with the same price. I explained the probably error, that it was only scanning the price of one bottle, not six, but she said not to worry about it. I figured if the manager says it's the right price, even if the you're not convinced, you're safe.

[CarpeD1em500 @ Apr 26th 2008 10:51AM]

Brett - people like you give me reason to have faith in humanity. Good for you sir. +1

[E71 @ Apr 26th 2008 12:44PM]

Limeys can't be good looking, it's against their genetic code.

[Austin @ Apr 26th 2008 1:07PM]

@Steve: yeah, steal it! instead of looking like one, you'll be one! it's a television, not a loaf of bread. stealing tech things for personal profit doesn't make you robin hood or jean valjean, it makes you scum.

[Steve Jones @ Apr 26th 2008 1:13PM]

E71, limey is a derogotary term for an Englishman. You fail.

[Ally @ Apr 26th 2008 1:17PM]

@ Brett

Perhaps they caught him on camera?

other-wise, i completely agree with you.

[Krishan Patel @ Apr 26th 2008 5:54AM]

LOL what an idiot

[OneLove @ Apr 26th 2008 5:29PM]

if it took four swipe attempts, a replaced paper spool, and one PA announcement for a store manager to come to register 14, I would say they WERE fooled for some time.

[happy_penguin @ Apr 26th 2008 5:59AM]

HA! Great Smiths reference there. :D

Good work!

[torqueo @ Apr 26th 2008 6:00AM]

For the un-win!

[Lance @ Apr 26th 2008 6:47AM]

Otherwise known all loss

[Lance @ Apr 26th 2008 6:47AM]

Otherwise known as loss

[Esat Dedezade @ Apr 26th 2008 7:37AM]

Otherwise known as double post :)

[danny @ Apr 26th 2008 7:01PM]

Oooh how about "FTF". For The Fail.

New Internet meme, anyone?

Also... did you know there is a conference called ROFLCon? How classic.

[stefan @ Apr 26th 2008 6:10AM]

who pays $3.16 for a bottle of water?

[Mr.Tech @ Apr 26th 2008 6:21AM]

The French? Evian rofl...

[John @ Apr 26th 2008 7:49AM]

I think it was a 'water bottle' (think Nalgene) rather than a 'bottle of water'

[phrogg @ Apr 26th 2008 9:40AM]

Ever notice how Evian, when spelled backwards, is Naive?

[B.C. @ Apr 26th 2008 11:23AM]

That's no coincidence.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 26th 2008 11:14AM]

I read that in a book about microsoft. Netscape always used it as an example on microsoft...

On a note related to this story, how stupider can America get (not that I'm not American.)

[chewie1890 @ Apr 26th 2008 1:53PM]

"stupider" eh? You fail.

[danny @ Apr 26th 2008 7:01PM]

And on a side-side note, since when is one man in f'ing small-ass-town Kirksville, MO the end-all-be-all depiction of Americans?

BTW, I live near there -- Kansas City, MO. It's trash.

[Zeus.:God @ Apr 26th 2008 7:58PM]

I live in KCMO as well... You and I should try date-rape.

[joe23521 @ Apr 27th 2008 11:13PM]

Ever notice Macs spelled backwards is scam?

[redlukas @ Apr 28th 2008 8:42AM]

believe me,the french don't pay three bucks for an evian. its much cheaper in europe.

[gayb @ Apr 26th 2008 6:10AM]

It's not like the 1,378 people around the country who WERE able to get past brain dead cashiers with this old ass move want the publicity.

[AlekZander @ Apr 26th 2008 6:20AM]

Don't you mean 1,337 people?

[danny @ Apr 26th 2008 7:11PM]

I would not call that a very 1,337 maneuver. ;-)

[Pc_Madness @ Apr 26th 2008 6:11AM]

Is that actually stealing is it? Putting a different sticker on it?

[Raheem @ Apr 26th 2008 7:54AM]

I think it's known as 'deception' and is regarded as a method of stealing.

[deyanimay @ Apr 26th 2008 8:31AM]

He could have just witched stickers with a cheaper lcd.

[Steven @ Apr 26th 2008 2:39PM]

Yes

[MARSHAK @ Apr 26th 2008 11:26PM]

i think its more along the lines of attempted fraud.

[aleks @ Apr 27th 2008 12:25AM]

Ask your mother or your pastor.

[NoelSM @ Apr 26th 2008 6:13AM]

OMG! Dude at least use something thats around $300. Keep it at the "half price" point. Or not i guess.

[Shannin @ Apr 26th 2008 6:14AM]

i wonk in retail so i know that these boxes have more then one UPC, so unless he was smart enough to cover all of them why didn't the cashier just try and scan a different one. also if the guy had a feeling that what he was attempting to do was going down in the wrong direction he should have pointed one out.

[Shannin @ Apr 26th 2008 6:15AM]

i mean i work not i wonk*

also this kind of stuff happens all the time, usually are smaller ticket items though

[Chris Aubeck @ Apr 26th 2008 6:17AM]

You wonk at work?

[Strange Quark Star @ Apr 26th 2008 6:20AM]

'R' and 'N' are like… right next to each other!

[w00t @ Apr 26th 2008 7:38AM]

Actually, the R is directly above the N!
At least it is on my keyboard ;)

[deyanimay @ Apr 26th 2008 8:32AM]

I think he was joking. =)

[Jon Doe. @ Apr 26th 2008 10:46AM]

If you work in retail then you should know that not all companies register every UPC on the box in their system. Some are for manufacturer tracking when it ships out of the plant, some are for distributor tracking, etc.

People coming onto Engadget and claiming that they do X or Y and we should listen to them doesn't automatically give them anything in terms of credibility. Statements determine cred....and your statement results in a FAIL in the cred department.

[XenoX101 @ Apr 26th 2008 6:22AM]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

– John 3:16 (KJV)

The bottle of water was a sign, clearly this guy wasn't a believer. ;)