4 ms·

I wish Target would add computers to their carts. For most people, it'd be a nice alternative towards the self checkout area with limited space to place things.

I wish Target would add computers to their carts. For most people, it'd be a nice alternative towards the self checkout area with limited space to place things. For the more unsavory customers, it could offer video evidence that they're stealing stuff, lock the wheels at the door if more than $X isn't paid for, and create GPS reports of where all the stolen carts end up.

akira2501 3y ago
They already have good videos of thefts. Wheel locks have been around forever. I can just _tell_ you where all the stolen carts "end up." None of this has an impact on theft; however, it does a great job of making me feel like I live in a prison.
- op00to 3y ago
  Target allegedly has such good video capabilities they can recognize repeat thieves, keep a record of what they steal, and wait until it reaches felony level after multiple trips before they flag a person to be detained. All in super duper high definition.
  - kjkjadksj 3y ago
    All that money down the drain now that people just wear hoodies and facemasks to shoplift
    - kylehotchkiss 3y ago
      https://phys.org/news/2012-09-tracking-people-gait-signature.html https://phys.org/news/2012-09-tracking-people-gait-signature...
      - Dylan16807 3y ago
        That's not going to get a felony conviction.
        op00to 3y ago
        They don’t convict based on the video or whatever. They learn their patterns and catch them the next time they come in and steal. Loss prevention associates know most of the usual suspects on sight.
        Dylan16807 3y ago
        Learning patterns doesn't get you a court-viable record of what they steal over multiple visits to push them over a specific money threshold. So the most the gait-tracking computer can do is alert that a flagged person might have entered and needs to be strongly identified in some other way. But if loss prevention already knows them on sight then that system is minimally useful.
        kjkjadksj 3y ago
        I expect the thieves are in and out before loss prevention even shows up, especially if they are masked up. Think about it logically: if loss prevention was able to actually work, they wouldn’t have to put so much merchandise under lock and key in high theft areas.
    - pas 3y ago
      why are they not employing the fearless mall cops to ask people to take off their hoodies as they are running away with the loot?
      - kjkjadksj 3y ago
        Theft is effectively a solved issue even without security, since Target probably insures for it and we pay for their policy through their markup.
        pas 3y ago
        Sure, but they are constantly looking for ways to increase that margin. If they can decrease theft in a cost efficient way ...
    - op00to 3y ago
      I think it’s deeper than that. Someone with a sheisty is gonna attract attention no matter what. The main idea is to combat organized shoplifting rings rather than - for example - addicts stealing small amounts to get more drugs.
mudlus 3y ago
This is another thing Japan has implemented in certain areas. There's a supermarket near us called Trial that has this method of checkout: https://www.trial-net.co.jp/prepaid/regi-cart/ https://www.trial-net.co.jp/prepaid/regi-cart/

akira2501 3y ago

They already have good videos of thefts. Wheel locks have been around forever. I can just _tell_ you where all the stolen carts "end up." None of this has an impact on theft; however, it does a great job of making me feel like I live in a prison.

op00to 3y ago
Target allegedly has such good video capabilities they can recognize repeat thieves, keep a record of what they steal, and wait until it reaches felony level after multiple trips before they flag a person to be detained. All in super duper high definition.
- kjkjadksj 3y ago
  All that money down the drain now that people just wear hoodies and facemasks to shoplift
  - kylehotchkiss 3y ago
    https://phys.org/news/2012-09-tracking-people-gait-signature.html https://phys.org/news/2012-09-tracking-people-gait-signature...
    - Dylan16807 3y ago
      That's not going to get a felony conviction.
      - op00to 3y ago
        They don’t convict based on the video or whatever. They learn their patterns and catch them the next time they come in and steal. Loss prevention associates know most of the usual suspects on sight.
        Dylan16807 3y ago
        Learning patterns doesn't get you a court-viable record of what they steal over multiple visits to push them over a specific money threshold. So the most the gait-tracking computer can do is alert that a flagged person might have entered and needs to be strongly identified in some other way. But if loss prevention already knows them on sight then that system is minimally useful.
        kjkjadksj 3y ago
        I expect the thieves are in and out before loss prevention even shows up, especially if they are masked up. Think about it logically: if loss prevention was able to actually work, they wouldn’t have to put so much merchandise under lock and key in high theft areas.
  - pas 3y ago
    why are they not employing the fearless mall cops to ask people to take off their hoodies as they are running away with the loot?
    - kjkjadksj 3y ago
      Theft is effectively a solved issue even without security, since Target probably insures for it and we pay for their policy through their markup.
      - pas 3y ago
        Sure, but they are constantly looking for ways to increase that margin. If they can decrease theft in a cost efficient way ...
  - op00to 3y ago
    I think it’s deeper than that. Someone with a sheisty is gonna attract attention no matter what. The main idea is to combat organized shoplifting rings rather than - for example - addicts stealing small amounts to get more drugs.

mudlus 3y ago

This is another thing Japan has implemented in certain areas. There's a supermarket near us called Trial that has this method of checkout: https://www.trial-net.co.jp/prepaid/regi-cart/ https://www.trial-net.co.jp/prepaid/regi-cart/