These days whenever somebody calls my office with a theft issue, I ask them which Walmart they were at and if they were using the self-scanning device. Ninety percent of the time, I am correct.
People thave to understand that stores with sel-scanners, particularly Walmart, are becoming more and more sophisticated. Most of the time with each theft, there is a video backup of it.
There are many different scenarios under criminal law. A typical reaction, if it as first time theft under $1000, is to ban the person from the stores. Then, the next time that they do it, they have both a trespassing and theft charge to face. A second scenario is a significant fine plus court costs, depending, of course, on the value of the theft. If the person has a recent criminal record, particularly involving theft, then the state can stack the violations. It is likely that this could involve jail time.