A Hopkinsville, Kentucky man has been charged with burglary after police say he swapped barcodes on items to pay a fraction of their actual price. The incident was reported by West Kentucky Star, which detailed the arrest following an investigation into the scheme.
According to reports, the suspect allegedly removed barcodes from lower-priced items and placed them on higher-priced merchandise before purchasing them at self-checkout kiosks. The practice, commonly known as barcode swapping, is a form of retail theft that has become increasingly common as self-checkout systems proliferate.
The man faces a burglary charge, typically used when a person enters a business with intent to commit theft. Retailers have been stepping up efforts to combat such fraud, often through improved surveillance and price verification systems. The case is pending in Christian County court.