Aged 25 to 35, friends and neighbors, the three employees pretended not to know each other, so as not to arouse the slightest suspicion. And each brought in not their own friends and family members, but those of their colleagues. According to The voice of the North, their ploy was simple: pretend to scan the items, discreetly hiding the barcodes. The “beeps” of the other boxes being permanent, it was very difficult for anyone to notice the deception.
But the management of the store had doubts and, last October, one of the employees had her hand caught in the shopping bag, when she had reopened her checkout to pass on an acquaintance. By comparing the amount on hand and the value of the cart, management found a problem.
The young woman ended up admitting that she was not at her first attempt, and involved her two comrades. All three were fired for gross misconduct.