Idaho Man Busted At Walmart Self-Checkout Trying To Buy A £240 Grill For The Price Of A Tin Of Soup

An Idaho man thought he had found a clever way to outsmart Walmart's self-checkout system—until police caught on.

According to authorities, 32-year-old Dylan Rockwell used a ring with a homemade barcode to scan a cheap tin of soup while attempting to walk away with hundreds of pounds' worth of goods. He was eventually caught after trying to buy a £240 ($300) grill by scanning a can of tomato soup. The Caldwell Police Department shared the details on Instagram, revealing that Rockwell admitted to repeatedly stealing from the store.

The Barcode Ring: A Low-Tech Heist

The alleged thief used the homemade ring, inscribed with the barcode for the cheap soup, to scan the items at the self-checkout while it was briefly unattended. A can of Great Value Tomato Condensed Soup at Walmart costs about £0.56 ($0.70).

On 2nd February, officers responded to the Idaho Walmart after a report of an ongoing theft. According to the police post, they tracked Rockwell back to his home, about 25 miles from Boise, the state capital.

Police say that Rockwell confessed to using the hand-waving trick at Walmart several times during questioning. 'Sorry, Mr. Rockwell, your tactics didn't work this time, but we appreciate your creativity,' Calwell Chief of Police Rex Ingram said in a statement. 'We know that times are tough, but your ingenuity got you some county soup for dinner,' Ingram added.

Other Clever Walmart Theft Schemes

Officers found the grill at Rockwell's home. The 32-year-old now faces a felony burglary charge. This follows a similar case last year when Newman police sought a Georgia man accused of using a TikTok' hack' to steal 'thousands of dollars' from Walmarts in three cities.

Authorities say he and numerous others learned the trick online, a method that is said to have cost Walmart millions of dollars before the company fixed the security flaw. However, police say this man managed to steal thousands of dollars from Walmart stores in Newnan, Peachtree City, and Fayetteville.

Fox 5 Atlanta reports that police describe the suspect as a Black man in his late 20s or early 30s with short dreadlocks. Surveillance video also reportedly shows he has a skin condition on his hands and legs.

TikTok's Influence: Viral Theft Trends

Information on manipulating Walmart checkouts for cash back was reportedly shared on TikTok, a social media platform. Police in south metro Atlanta say the suspect, who allegedly drives a white BMW 7 Series, was among several people observed using this method.

TikTok is known for viral trends, but some, like this one, can be problematic. The hack in question enabled customers to get cash back on specific purchases, resulting in significant losses for the company.

TikToker B Hayes explained how the trick worked: it fooled the machines into thinking items were paid for, allowing users to get double the intended cash back. Det. Sgt. Nathan McNamara said the suspect cancelled his transaction halfway through, which caused the POS machine to give him double the cash back.

Video surveillance reportedly captured the suspect, a man in his 20s or 30s, using the self-checkout to obtain extra funds. Fox 5 also reported that other individuals were observed performing the same scam.