‘I got banned for a month’: Pregnant shopper says she was asked to leave items at self-checkout line to go to office after making simple mistake

In a viral video, a pregnant veteran says she was nearly written up by the police over an honest mistake while shopping at Walmart. She says the issue spurred over $10 at self-checkout.

Self-checkout vs. cashier assistance

Customers generally have split opinions on self-checkout machines. They are sometimes faster than the standard line and can be a more comfortable experience for introverts. But people have also complained that they shouldn't have to do the job of a cashier just so a corporation can save money. Additionally, what's supposed to be a quick and easy process can quickly get bogged down.

Even some companies have taken notice that their beloved self-checkout machines (which many retailers have implemented to save on labor cost) have become a money pit, since people steal from them both on purpose and by accident. Major retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Wegmans, are already rethinking their checkout strategy, CNN reported.

Self-checkout gone wrong

In a viral video with more than 4.2 million views, Taylor (@taysfulnails) shares an experience that may have you thinking twice about which what checkout method to use.

Taylor explains that she was five months pregnant and stopped by Walmart to grab some more prenatal vitamins. But, of course, as one does when shopping, she ended up getting a few extra items.

Once she finished ringing up all of her items, an employee tapped her on the shoulder.

"Can you come with me, please?" he said, instructing her to leave behind her shopping cart full of items.

"Now I feel like I'm doing a walk of shame because I don't think I've done anything wrong. But everybody's looking at me as I'm escorted to the office," Taylor recounts in the clip.

Once there, the Walmart employees told Taylor that she didn't ring up all of her items at self-checkout. What did she forget to ring up? The prenatal vitamins—the main thing she went to Walmart for.

This is the perfect time to inform you that pregnant women get "pregnancy brain" which is essentially an increase in forgetfulness. About 50% to 80% of women experience this phenomenon, according to Nature.com.

By that point, the police had arrived.

Police interference

Taylor explained that it was an honest mistake and told them she'd be happy to pay for it. However, she says they denied her request and insisted on filing a police report on the incident.

"So at five months, you can already imagine my hormones were raging—so I just went the f*ck off," Taylor recalls.

The shopper then ranted about the fact that customers are now expected to do a cashier's job and bluffed that she knew people high up at corporate. She also pointed out how ridiculous it was that they watched her fail to scan the item and instead of politely letting her know, waited until she was done so they could claim she was purposefully stealing.

Taylor reminded the Walmart employees that she was five months pregnant and a veteran.

After all that, the police officer stopped insisting on a police report and instead banned her from Walmart for a month. And they didn't let her purchase the prenatal vitamins.

Taylor says she was so irritated by how they handled things that she didn't go into the store for an extra month.

How does Walmart track theft?

Like many major retailers, Walmart uses multiple methods and technologies to catch people who are intentionally or unintentionally stealing.

That includes surveillance cameras, in-store security, "secret shoppers," and facial recognition software.

"Whether Walmart maintains a centralized database of shoplifters is not publicly confirmed. Retailers often collaborate with law enforcement and may share information about incidents and suspects to enhance security," Ceja Law Firm reported.

@taysfulnails QUICK STORYTIME???????? #fy #storytime #fypage #selfcheckout ♬ original sound - Taye

What to do if I get caught shoplifting?

If you get caught shoplifting, Jose Ceja, managing attorney of Ceja Law Firm, suggests you do everything in your power to get the case dismissed. A shoplifting charge can follow you around your entire life and make it difficult to find work or even secure housing.

He states that many shoplifting cases are eventually dismissed, especially if it's your first offense or if they lack evidence.

Commenter reactions

Viewers had a lot to say in the comments section, and many were sympathetic to Taylor's situation.

"They were watching your prenatals while 3 Roku TV’s waltzed out the door for the price of bananas," a top comment read.

"I did asset protection for Walmart. They can’t do that. It not theft until you head towards the first set of doors. You were profiled and followed," a person alleged.

"It would have been easier if they just went up to you and said 'I noticed you didn’t scan the prenatals, did you still want them? If not I can take them for you,'" another pointed out.

"They owe you the biggest apology for the embarrassment," a commenter wrote.

The Daily Dot reached out to Tyalor for comment via Insagram and TikTok direct message and to Walmart via email.

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