A Florida man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to steal hundreds of dollars worth of items from a grocery store by scamming a self-checkout kiosk.
Luis Felipe Lezcano, 63, reportedly used a technique called “ticket switching” to try to fool the store’s security.
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Thieves use ticket switching to make it look like they’re checking out their items while paying the least. A thief will scan a cheap item while moving an expensive item through the scanner. This procedure provides the impression that they scanned the more expensive item, when in fact they scanned a relatively inexpensive one.
“It’s such a quick technique that they use, and they become extremely proficient,” Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez told WSVN.
Lopez stated that while thieves may occasionally get away with the trick, he is convinced that, “eventually, your luck’s going to run out.”
Police said Lezcano used the approach hundreds of times to take products worth thousands of dollars.
“According to store management, this individual did this over 35 times, and luckily, we were able to bring him to justice,” Lopez said.
Surveillance video allegedly caught Lezcano passing one item over the scanner with his right hand while holding and scanning another with his left. He then allegedly placed both items in his backpack.
Lopez claims that security camera footage makes it much easier for detectives to identify people who are ticket swapping.
Police apprehended Lezcano on January 14. According to the arrest report, Lezcano allegedly committed a ticket switching scam inside a neighboring Walmart and was in possession of other products he had not paid for.
Lopez warned residents to think twice before attempting to take advantage of the technology.
“The more we use technology, the more the community has to understand that you have a higher likelihood of being caught,” said Lopez. “If you’re coming to Doral to commit a crime, we’re going to identify you, and we’re going to take you to jail.”
