I'm a lawyer – what to do if you're wrongly accused of stealing at a self-checkout in stores like Walmart and Target | The Sun

A LAWYER has revealed what to do if you're mistakenly accused of stealing at a self-checkout machine in stores like Walmart and Target.

TikTok user Carrie Jernigan, an Elle Woods-inspired lawyer with more than 1.2million followers, took to the video-sharing app to give advice to shoppers unfairly targeted at a self-checkout line.

In a duet video shared to TikTok on Monday, Carrie offers commentary alongside footage of a woman accused of stealing at a Ralphs La Brea Grocery in Los Angeles.

"The officer is making her go back into the store. He didn't witness anything," Carrie is heard explaining as Steph Tolev, the woman claiming to be accused, is seen videoing herself walking back into the Ralphs with the officer.

"But he is essentially seizing her, making her go back into the store."

Carrie suggests anyone watching the clip that might be in a similar situation "remain quieter than she is."

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She continues: "But it is human nature to try to want to talk and explain yourself."

Steph is heard telling the security guard or officer: "I just paid for everything, why am I getting accused of stealing right now.

"I went to the self-checkout, I totally paid for everything."

Moments later, the accused woman hears someone working at the shop say: "Not her … the guy with the sandwich and two soda pops."

Carrie described Steph's situation as "lucky" because situations like this happen "every day."

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The Sun reached out to La Brea Ralphs in Los Angeles, California, but did not receive an immediate reply.

Similar instances also happen in other states. According to The Law Office of Corey I. Cohen & Associates: "Target is a major retailer in Florida. The company has a strong anti-theft shoplifting policy."

"They aggressively prosecute people who appear to steal items from the store. Nowhere is this more apparent than the self-checkout line.

"Every day, innocent shoppers bypass long lines to scan a few items at a convenient self-service kiosk."

Carrie advises viewers to only use self-checkout for small purchases, always pay with a card and keep your receipts to keep records of your purchase, and be slow and intentional when scanning items.

In a recent video, Carrie warns her viewers about the hazards of self-checkout and that even if you don't intentionally steal while using the counter, Walmart can still come after you.

This situation doesn't just apply to Walmart but to any big box store.

She claims that stores will look to old customers when they are reviewing lost inventory even months after the item left the premises.

The lawyer categorizes shoppers caught out by self-checkout into three groups.

“The first group of people getting charged with shoplifting using the self-checkout are people going into the stores with the intent to steal,” Carrie said.

“The second group of people catching this charge, I will call the theft-by-mistake. These are the people that I genuinely think just forgot to scan an item."

She continued: "It is usually something that was on the bottom rack of the cart or say a DVD that has slid under the purse, and when they are walking out, asset protection stops them.”

The last group of people are targeted after they left the store. They get into trouble when the store starts looking into lost inventory.

“It is something that, say, asset protection is doing a quality control check or inventory weeks, days, months later comes up short," Carrie explained.

She continued: "So they will begin watching hours of video to see the last person who checked out with the Mario Lego set because they’re too short, or an Xbox game, and for some reason, they pinpoint that they think you did it.”

So, how do these stores get away with doing this?

“Because of who these big box stores are, they usually have to present very little evidence to get an affidavit or warrant signed,” Carrie said.

What happens once they do get an affidavit or warrant signed?

“The charges that could land you up to a year in jail get filed, and then you are fighting for your life trying to determine what day you were at Walmart, what all you bought," Carrie said.

"You have to spend thousands of dollars hiring a lawyer and we have to go through grainy video footage to try to determine what all you bought that day,” she warned.

Carrie said that the charges are often dropped once an attorney can prove that their client has not stolen.

However, you are now out thousands of dollars and a lot of time and energy is wasted.

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Meanwhile, Target takes its safety very seriously and has two entire forensics labs it uses to catch shoplifters and help stop crime.

According to an article shared by Target's corporate website, the brand has top-tier forensics labs -all of which are accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors – that work with police stations across the states to help keep communities safer.

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