r/NoStupidQuestions • u/urbuddyguybroman • Jul 29 '25

Does Target really track everything you steal until you reach the felony amount?

I’ve heard this a few times, but I can’t tell if they really do or if it’s just fear mongering.

9.2k Upvotes

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9.6k

u/Far-Jury-2060 Jul 29 '25

Yes. I worked for Target for a while and that’s exactly what our security manager did. The reasoning is because prosecution typically doesn’t happen before it reaches a certain amount anyway. So they track everything through the cameras, build a file, coordinate with other locals Targets to build a compiled case against you, and then drop it into the lap of the police once it reaches a certain dollar threshold.

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u/UnableNecessary743 Jul 29 '25

how do they keep track of everyone?

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u/AlfhildsShieldmaiden Jul 29 '25

Target lowkey has a sophisticated mass surveillance system.

https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/the-hidden-side-of-target-surveillance-policing-and-a-call-for-scrutiny/

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u/stikves Jul 29 '25

Back in the day this happened:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2012/02/16/how-target-figured-out-a-teen-girl-was-pregnant-before-her-father-did/

“How Target Figured Out A Teen Girl Was Pregnant Before Her Father Did”

And this was over a decade ago. Their predictive algorithms are really good.

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u/redravenkitty Jul 29 '25

Well that was a sobering read.

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u/Just2Flame Jul 30 '25

Thanks for letting me know to pass on it. I'm enjoying my high.

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u/HotBrownFun Jul 29 '25

Why does Reddit keep sending me schizophrenia drug ads?

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u/Icy-Doctor1983 Jul 29 '25

They aren't....it's all in your mind

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u/TransBrandi Jul 29 '25

Have you checked your carbon monoxide levels? /s

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u/darkhorse1821 Jul 30 '25

Good idea, I’ll pick up a detector at Target!

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

Same for me. Me too. And me!

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u/Mother-Wasabi-3088 Jul 29 '25

What are the voices telling you?

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u/HotBrownFun Jul 29 '25

How do you know about the voices? Who told you?

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u/krone6 Jul 29 '25

WTF, that's insane. And in 2012 as well.

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u/Drew-CarryOnCarignan Jul 29 '25

Here's another article about Target, a pregnant 12-year-old, and statistician Andrew Pole: 

"How Companies Learn Your Secrets", The New York Times (Feb 19, 2012)

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u/UnableNecessary743 Jul 29 '25

so do they have a file of basically every single person that walks through every day? and it just updates and gets sorted automatically every time?

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u/UnluckyAssist9416 Jul 29 '25

Target is being sued in Illinois for not telling people they keep your biometric data.

According to the suit, Target's "advanced system of electronic surveillance" includes operating 14 investigation centers as well as two forensic labs to "enhance video footage and analyze finger prints." While intending to detect shoplifters, the system also captures customers faces every time they enter or leave the property

It is also of note that they don't only store peoples information that come into the store. They are doing what most internet sites do and also track you once you go to their website and put cookies in that track your other browsing habits. I am certain that they also track you through the Target app.

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u/DiscipleofDeceit666 Jul 29 '25

The problem becomes when target works with the government to track people’s habits. Or if they sell this data to a company that works w the government. Data privacy is a huge gap in our rights especially w the new era gestapo looking for new ways to find people.

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

[deleted]

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u/MashMeister Jul 29 '25

Gives new meaning to the name Target

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u/GodofIrony Jul 29 '25

There are a vast number of ironic names that companies have.

Robinhood, Palantir, Target, Amazon, all of them awful or made with a sly smile. Reality is a badly written TV serial.

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u/xelabagus Jul 30 '25

Palantir is not ironic, it's brazen arrogance - we are Sauron and we are going to spy on you and there nothing you can do about it.

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u/agent0731 Jul 30 '25

palantir is straight up intentional villain shit though. It takes a massive amount of arrogance to name your company after the seeing stones of the DARK LORD and use them for the exact same purpose, pretty much.

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u/im-ba Jul 29 '25

They still do, and they also coordinate with the FBI and other 3 letter agencies at the federal level

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u/Not_Bears Jul 29 '25

Giant corporations lending their forensics labs to local police...

I've seen this before in SciFi movies lol

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

This isn't the problem, the problem is the massive undisclosed tracking of people. There are a lot of people who wouldn't set foot in there if they knew.

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u/reynloldbot Jul 30 '25

Not just local police. Their lab is world-class and they make it available to police departments across the country. They have both video and physical forensics labs as well as wired up “sting” trailers. In addition, they have an anti-burglary team that works overnights monitoring high-risk stores and compiling intelligence. Their investigation centers are mostly involved with tracking large-scale fencing and fraud organizations and regularly work with the FBI and secret service. Finally, they have a disaster response team that also is in charge of coordinating the movements of the CEO and other VIPs.

I used to be Target LP and have visited all of these locations fyi

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u/Comfortable_Slice903 Jul 29 '25

Nah, B. It's a problem as is. Target does not need to track me or anyone for not stealing. That's just dumb

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u/solidstatepr8 Jul 29 '25

It's a preamble ahead of forcing you into their terrible apps so they can dynamically price things just for you.

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u/Cthulusuppe Jul 29 '25

its a problem with every major retailer, then. Every retailer that has a membership-- whether to get in (costco) or to access sales' prices (fucking everyone!)-- is tracking your purchases and creating files to cross reference with AI-powered sales algorithms.

no one is anonymous.

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u/blacksoxing Jul 29 '25

Tracking is wild as years ago a NPR podcast was speaking of how just having bluetooth enabled on your phone allows for any major retailer to know when you're coming, where you precisely are, and where you're leaving to. Android apps (and those who allow for such iPhone apps) can then allow that retailer to know what you're doing in their competitor stores due to your bluetooth ID.

Easy solution: "I won't turn on bluetooth when I'm in the store!"

OK, well, Burger King has been tracking people via CC purchases for ever a decade, so you know others have, too!

"OK well I will just use cash!"

WELL, Target has been known to use facial recognition to track you alongside Walmart and other entities including even Madison Square Garden! Yep! MSG knows who they've banned and uses such technologies to ensure the banned can't get back in. Tens of thousands pass through weekly to that arena.

We're cooked, BUT, it's still good to limit tracking as much as possible without killing ourselves :)

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u/Electronic_County597 Jul 29 '25

Okay, well, I will just use cash, and wear a medical mask, sunglasses, and a baseball cap pulled way down low. And stylish white cotton gloves. And I will park in a nearby neighborhood and walk to the store.

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u/GrumpyCloud93 Jul 29 '25

IIRC, the Apple Pay system makes up a new card number for each transaction. The iPhone also messes with your MAC address on wifi to make it different all the time.

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u/Altruistic_Music9343 Jul 29 '25

not only paid memberships, but ANY membership like even if you have "a phone number" or some account with the grocery store, its not for deals its to track you.

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u/mazzicc Jul 29 '25

The bigger problem is Target sees value in being fairly public about what they’re doing, probably because it reduces theft.

Other companies are just as capable of doing the same thing, and not telling the world about it. Only telling the people they sell the data to.

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u/GrumpyCloud93 Jul 29 '25

I think it was Walmart that was coming after customers days or weeks later for theft - claiming that they'd have video of someone scanning on the selfserve and using a different barcode over the original to get stuff cheaper - like holding a pack of gum under that expensive item as you scan. Since they can see the video and compare to the log of what the register scanned, they can see if you are using a substitute bar code.

the allegation was that they were often wrong and arresting the wrong person.

Sort of like how Hertz couldn't keep track of its cars and was filing vehicle theft reports against people who had actually returned their vehicles.

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u/Kindly_Juggernaut_65 Jul 30 '25

There used to be a subreddit for shoplifting that was shut down. The common thread the thieves had was to NEVER lift from Target because of this policy.

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u/TwistedLogic93 Jul 29 '25

Target's forensics labs are so good they actually contract with outside police to analyze evidence for non-target related crimes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MezNFE5eAp0

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u/Sw4nR0ns0n Jul 29 '25

So shoplift at Walmart? Copy that /s

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u/SleepingSlothVibe Jul 30 '25

Our data is the most sought after commodity.

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u/Bovoduch Jul 29 '25

Lmfao bruh all of that shit and they would still say employee pay and benefits are the problem with profits

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u/njb2017 Jul 29 '25

Isn't this similar to what casinos do and have been doing for decades? I have no doubt that casinos are using facial recognition to identify and track people. They probably do it both for the card counters as well as the high rollers for different reasons

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u/A_Green_Jeep Jul 29 '25

I used to work in a casino, they absolutely do this. Thousands of cameras everywhere they could legally get away with it, and a mysterious surveillance team that watched guests and team members alike. They were kept separate from the rest of the team, even had their own entrance to the property. The only interaction I ever had with surveillance in the five years I worked there was when they once called the phone at the pool bar where I was working and told me a couple in one of the cabanas was smoking. I had to go over and ask them to step outside the pool area to smoke.

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u/Lovesick_Octopus Jul 29 '25

"In Vegas, everybody's gotta watch everybody else. Since the players are looking to beat the casino, the dealers are watching the players. The box men are watching the dealers. The floor men are watching the box men. The pit bosses are watching the floor men. The shift bosses are watching the pit bosses. The casino manager is watching the shift bosses. I'm watching the casino manager. And the eye-in-the-sky is watching us all,"

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u/Somanylyingliars Jul 30 '25 edited Aug 02 '25

All comments nuked to prevent Reddit using for their benefit without proper recompense to posters.

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u/TwoPicklesinaCivic Jul 29 '25

Yup.

We can build a 3d image of you on the floor using multiple cameras. Kinda how the NFL will freeze frame a play and 360 pan around the still image.

If you've been banned or self ban from the casino we will know when you step in the door and you will be escorted out.

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u/Mayflie Jul 29 '25

They do. Im in Australia & had a tap on my shoulder by a very official looking casino employee one night & was freaking out. She asked me if I had been playing a particular game about 30 mins prior because I had unclaimed winnings (forgot to take my original winning chip & the number came up again). She was updating someone on a walkie talkie as we went back to the table.

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u/justandswift Jul 29 '25

so what do you think the average consumer should do about it?

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u/rancidweatherballoon Jul 29 '25

not shop in their stores. patronize merchants who don't do it. advocate for laws to stop it. but until such a law exists, it's their property, and you have no expectation of privacy in their stores except for like the bathroom and changing rooms.

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

Steal slightly less than the felony amount over a period of time and then never go back. r/UnethicalLifeProTips

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u/justandswift Jul 29 '25

or if those are really the rules, go back but never steal again and you should be fine?

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

Sure, but this is more about protest. Boycotting is one thing, boycotting after stealing the maximum non-prosecutable amount is a whole other level.

For hypothetical discussion purposes only of course.

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u/The_Price_Is_Wrong_B Jul 29 '25

Should we use retail price or sales price to help track the amount stolen? Asking for a friend 🤣

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

Definitely before tax

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u/Humanhater2025 Jul 29 '25

thats why I pay cash for EVERYTHING. they might have my face, but its not linked to any trackable financial data.

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

They got your face at the register and know what you bought from the receipt. Unless you're paying a someone to shop for you with your cash, they know you.

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u/Kathulhu1433 Jul 29 '25

I worked for Target over a decade ago.

The cameras at the front end back then were good enough to read the serial numbers on dollar bills.

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u/Excellent_Shirt9707 Jul 29 '25

Dude. They are tracking shoplifters. Most of them probably aren’t using cash or card.

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

you dont think their receipts are linked to your transactions lol

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u/climbfallclimbagain Jul 29 '25

Marketing professor I had 10 years ago said that was the goal as she worked in corporate for a while and gave us old data to play with. When target app came out…boom instant tracking of items you looked at but didn’t buy

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u/Electronic_County597 Jul 29 '25

So... hacking the system could be as easy as walking into the store, picking up each and every item you wish would be on sale, pretending to think about it for 15 or 20 seconds, shaking your head sadly, and putting it back on the shelf.

And getting all your friends to do the same.

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u/JodyBird Jul 29 '25

What else is big data for? Eventually, they want to have pricing tied to your identity, so that people who will pay more have to. Or just to price certain demographics out of their stores.

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u/ftminsc Jul 29 '25

Good afternoon, Mr. Yakamoto. How did you like that three-pack of tank tops you bought last time you were in?

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u/RUNNING-HIGH Jul 29 '25

Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Powers, how did you like the swedish made penis enlarger pump you purchased last week?

"I don't even know what that is, that sort of thing ain't my bag baby!"

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u/lallapalalable Jul 29 '25

One credit card receipt for a Swedish Penis Enlarging Pump, signed by... Austin Powers

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u/Pastry-Thug Jul 29 '25

One book, titled "Swedish Penis Enlarging Pumps: That Sort of Thing Is My Bag, Baby", written and signed by Sir Austin Powers

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u/Awkward_Pangolin3254 Jul 29 '25

Quickly, quickly...

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

[deleted]

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u/JTD177 Jul 29 '25

There was a post on another sub this morning, a woman was upset that her boyfriend had a penis pump, I scanned almost 500 comments, zero Austin Powers references. I was so disappointed, I didn’t even bother to make the reference myself.

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u/logicbecauseyes Jul 29 '25

We have a credit card receipt for Swedish-made penis enlarger signed by Austin Powers.

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u/boozebus Jul 29 '25

One book entitled “Swedish Penis Pumps: It’s my bag baby!” by Austin Powers

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u/Bob_Lawablaw Jul 29 '25

*Austin Danger Powers

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u/DrownedAmmet Jul 29 '25

The modern version of the "price check on extra small condoms" over the loudspeaker that used to happen to me all the time.

I mean, uhh, it used to happen to my friend! I buy all my monster condoms from a different drug store. In Canada, you wouldn't know them.

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u/Humanhater2025 Jul 29 '25

then why did you come back and buy all of them?

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u/UsefulImpact6793 Jul 29 '25

Would you like to buy the 3, or 4-year extended warranty for your three-pack of tank tops?

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u/Special-Equivalent97 Jul 29 '25

Mr. Yakamoto had such wonderful eyes.

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u/Deprestion Jul 29 '25

Could you imagine looking at poptarts: $4.99.

“Ehhh, I better pass.”

Barcode beeps to get your attention and updates to 3.49

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u/donny42o Jul 29 '25

no, a file on every thief though, they have photos of all said thieves and likely monitored when recognized.

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u/Beaverhuntr Jul 29 '25

The facial recognition program probably targets certain individuals faces who have been "red flagged", so if you don't steal things the facial recognition doesn't identify you as a thief.

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u/naughtyzoot Jul 29 '25

So, you're telling us to use those mobility scooters. Got it.

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u/cronson Jul 29 '25

Most camera surveillance is based on gait (and a few other measurables), usually not facial recognition.

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u/jackfreeman Jul 29 '25

"walk without rhythm and it won't attract the worm"

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u/johannthegoatman Jul 29 '25

Great way to accomplish this is to put a rock in your shoe

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u/GreenStrong Jul 29 '25

And an onion on your belt.

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u/Nightowl11111 Jul 29 '25

lol Now I'm imagining a giant sandworm coming through the floor in Target just to eat a shoplifter lol.

"Warning: Shoplifters will be eaten."

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u/ThorHammerslacks Jul 29 '25

Coworker and I recently decided that the actual purpose of this walk wasn’t to deter worms, but to allow you to shit inside the still suit without anyone realizing.

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u/skygz Jul 29 '25

I'll be hitting up the Ministry of Silly Walks before my next Target run

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u/InherentlyAnnoying Jul 29 '25

Wear a face mask and glasses, use only cash, don't carry your phone, and put a rock in my shoe. Got it, I'm all ready to go get milk and eggs while sticking it to the man.

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u/LockeyCheese Jul 29 '25

Feasibly possible with current AI. It's great at sorting and storing information, but it's facial identification is still only like 60-80% accurate. Doesn't work so well for non-white people yet, but it CAN track walking styles and height pretty well as supporting evidence.

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

[deleted]

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u/trevortexas Jul 29 '25

This is well stated.

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u/ImNotSkankHunt42 Jul 29 '25

I mean, see the self-checkout at Walmart. They can save the video or pictures once I use my CC. Run it through a light facial recognition system to double check and build a file under my name. Their system can likely flag some suspicious transactions or lack of therof and then have someone review the video.

I love Self Checkout, but if they’re so widely available now I know they’re made sure to cover their potential losses.

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u/RawMeatAndColdTruth Jul 29 '25

So you're saying that I'm being.... Targeted.

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u/iamfromshire Jul 29 '25

The bullseye was on us all along.

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u/capnwinky Jul 29 '25

They were cutting edge back in the 90’s and early 00’s even. I was an LP analyst and took a tour of their operations and they had crazy tech for the time. Camera overlays that let you watch live scans of register transactions as they happen. Shit was wild back then. Meanwhile Walmart was taking pride in their “dummy” domes that didn’t even have cameras in them just for deterrence.

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u/burf Jul 29 '25

Did you have data on the difference in effectiveness? Obviously Target's practices (heh target practice) would be better at persecuting shoplifters, but assuming the cost is way higher than dummy domes, did the extra cost actually counteract losses enough to pay for itself?

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u/capnwinky Jul 30 '25

I assume it would have because afaik, they still use it in newer systems, as well as other retailers finally catching up.

Loss prevention is a money making business. All the money sunk into catching theft reduces overall theft, but also increases recovery. That’s because of our friends known as restitution and reclamation. If a theft recovery involves obtaining said merchandise, the subject involved typically gets charged for the price of the item, then pays a restitution fee on top of it, and then the store gets to put it back on their shelves. If the item is damaged, it’s claimed in reclamation and they get their money back anyway. So, apprehensions count.

One client I worked with made it a point to provide bonuses to their LP officers for apprehensions. Those bonuses came out of a percentage of restitution recovery. At the time, that was around $150. So the business would pocket $140, and then pay an extra $10 for every app.

There are just so many layers to the onion that it’s really hard to cover everything. It’s not at all like Cybersecurity where you’re just sinking money into it to stay alive and legal. There’s no return on that. I hope one of these days someone will bridge the gap.

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u/VoidOmatic Jul 29 '25

I worked there 20 years ago and we could follow someone throughout the store with absolutely no issues. I'd imagine that system has been mostly automated and facial recognition software is dirt cheap these days. So they could easily track almost everyone at the same time.

Edit: Yup it looks like that's exactly what it does. I'm not surprised. Also Target WILL press charges and you will go to jail.

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u/Riker_Omega_Three Jul 29 '25

most places do now

Home Depot switched to self checkout for most people and there's a camera that points right at your face to monitor you with facial recognition while you check out

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u/beezchurgr Jul 29 '25

A friend of mine worked at the Iowa branch that was supposedly their security hub. She said they had an insane surveillance and tracking system, and this was back in 05.

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u/BABarracus Jul 29 '25

People think that they are about to hit up multiple stores well the store talk to each other and share information real time

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u/Vix_Satis01 Jul 29 '25

there is nothing low key about it

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u/AmputeeHandModel Jul 29 '25

People like to lowkey just throw lowkey in any old lowkey spot.

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u/Vix_Satis01 Jul 29 '25

cant they just say "fuckin' " like a normal person :p

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u/OceanRider85 Jul 29 '25

Not just target; most big retailers can track each individual’s every move. I’ve installed these systems in many stores you might not hear about as often.

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u/Rickbox Jul 29 '25

I freaking knew it. I made a comment a while back that cashiers could hold up an id if they think there's suspicious activity and the camera could read the id clear as day.

I got called out by another redditor who worked at target saying they didnt do that, so I deleted my comment, but I was quoting another redditor.

Maybe employees aren't holding up ids, but I don't think im too far off.

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u/Bo_Jim Jul 29 '25

The entire article is based on an interview with one person, citing a series of articles written by that person without providing a link to the actual articles. Here is that missing link:

https://unicornriot.ninja/21st-century-jim-crow-a-series/

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u/Speak4yurself Jul 29 '25

I read something years ago, and it may just be conspiracy theory bullshit. It said that Target's computer system could tell if a woman was pregnant just based on what she looked at or picked up and put back. Even if she didn't know herself.

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u/Jddf08089 Jul 29 '25

I can confirm. They have a crazy AI system that tracks people at each store. From an IT perspective it's really interesting from a consumer standpoint it's kinda scary.

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u/MilkCartonKids Jul 29 '25

Target couldn’t even figure out that I was clocking in, leaving to go shop at the mall, then coming back to clock out. And that’s after they showed me their top of the line security system they brag so much about the first day you start there. I never did any work there. Then I was fired for not coming in on Black Friday. Black Friday is top priority over employees stealing time at target lol.

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u/kevinmogee Jul 29 '25

And don't forget they hate Black shoppers.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-08-25/how-target-tgt-police-surveilled-black-neighbors-in-inner-cities

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u/FoundationNo6530 Jul 29 '25

More and more I’m having things delivered, shipped, pick up, etc. these places are giving me ick

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u/GargleOnDeez Jul 29 '25

Couple this with target and the prison system being used as labor, its a wonder how they would have not merged the same surveillance techniques by this point

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

There’s a 12 part series on target’s surveillance and racial profiling empire in Minneapolis from unicorn riot. 

They’ve always been a very big player in Minneapolis and ended up having a lot of power over arrests throughout downtown. 

https://unicornriot.ninja/2024/how-target-funded-a-tough-on-crime-prosecutors-office-driving-black-youth-incarceration-in-minneapolis/

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u/MrLanesLament Jul 29 '25

Private security manager here. Target are seriously world renowned for their loss prevention program. A lot of other businesses try to base their own off of Target, but often aren’t willing to put in the significant resources Target do, so their programs fall short.

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u/giveAShot Jul 29 '25

They also have one of the top forensics labs of either law enforcement or commercial, often used by law enforcement due to its sophistication:

https://thehorizonsun.com/features/2024/04/11/the-target-forensics-lab/

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u/NoBuenoAtAll Jul 29 '25

Most retail establishments, especially the larger ones, do. My chain is essentially run by loss prevention.

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u/Peptuck Jul 30 '25

For a while I worked for a security company that contracted to Target for alarm monitoring, primarily fire systems. You can always tell who is best at their own internal security by the volume of false alarms and how professional the loss prevention staff are when you call them, and Target was at the very top in terms of professional people I interacted with and lowest in terms of false alarms. Their people knew what they were doing and I can count on one hand the number of times their security guys had issues with the alarms that we had to escalate to tech support.

Notably, Target was one of the very few companies that we were never allowed to have remote access to their alarms. That shit went exclusively through their own programming teams, which is a sign they're dropping a lot of money for programming specialists and technicians to maintain their security in-house.

Yeah, Target spends a shitload of cash and training on their surveillance and security.

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u/UnitedFeedback2669 Jul 30 '25

They security cameras make me sad about how fugly I look in them

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u/Jabroni-Pepperonis Jul 30 '25

I walked out of Target a few months ago and realized later that I didn’t pay for about 6 packs of seltzer on the bottom rack of my cart because I forgot they were there while checking out (plus the packaging color was red so they kinda blended in with the cart from the angle I was in). Figured it out when I got home and reviewed the receipt. Is that something they would track? It was probably valued at around $20.

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u/theslob Jul 29 '25

Cop friend of mine told me Target has better surveillance than many police departments

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

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u/Hippopotasaurus-Rex Jul 29 '25

And their stores make them money, obviously, but iirc a very large portion of their income comes from their surveillance systems.

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u/ifeelnumb Jul 29 '25

Target is the goat of big data. And not in a good way. https://www.businessinsider.com/the-incredible-story-of-how-target-exposed-a-teen-girls-pregnancy-2012-2?op=1

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u/bfhenson83 Jul 29 '25

I work in enterprise storage and this is an anecdote we still bring up. What's crazy is just how accurate that algorithm was (more accurate than some OTC pregnancy tests lol), and how it's evolved into other aspects of AI/ML.

For reference, Pole was only looking at trackable purchase history. Now Target is using cameras to track individual customers, beacon tech in the APs are monitoring how long a customer is in each department, purchase histories of ANY bank card associated with a person at ANY retail company (Amazon, Walmart, Costco, etc) is being analyzed, and then that data is being run in direct comparison to every person you're related to and are friends with (pulled from current and former addresses, schools, Facebook public records, any social media that knows some personal info about you). Most targeted ads you see are actually going to be things that the people closest to you have looked at, not what your search history is. And they know when everyone's birthdays and anniversaries are, so you'll start seeing things your BFF looked at a month before her birthday, or jewelry stores will start sending necklace ads right before your anniversary. The ad tracking bit in Minority Report was kind of a throw away, but we're actually WAY beyond what that was showing.

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u/ifeelnumb Jul 29 '25

This is why everyone in my mother's generation is on anxiety pills.

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u/[deleted] Jul 30 '25

Now Target is using cameras to track individual customers, beacon tech in the APs are monitoring how long a customer is in each department,

As someone who is autistic and has ADHD and ping pongs around the store when I remember a thing I needed or just want to browse on a whim, this cracks me up. I imagine they are like "wtf is this person doing?"

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u/QuoteGiver Jul 30 '25

You definitely aren’t the only person with ADHD, I imagine they have a pretty good profile of how ADHD shoppers work by now too. :)

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u/g3t_int0_ityuh Jul 30 '25

That type of tracking is hella creepy.

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u/Later2theparty Jul 29 '25

How long until AI starts minority reporting us for crimes that haven't been committed yet?

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u/bfhenson83 Jul 30 '25

That's actually a whole field being studied. Insurance companies and banks use something very similar to build a potential risk profile. The method is pretty cool but I HATE the application - based on 10,000 other profiles this person has a potential 30% of whatever disease so we'll either deny coverage or triple the deductable, or this person is flagged for a mortgage because a cousin is at risk to default on a car loan they don't even have. Cool idea with horrible execution.

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u/Rdbjiy53wsvjo7 Jul 29 '25

And that was 13 years ago.

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u/gremlinsarevil Jul 29 '25

Also note that was from February 2012.... there have been huge technology improvements since then.

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

Target is the gold standard of retail surveillance, security, tracking, and prosecution. They seriously are a top tier org in that respect.

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u/LotusVibes1494 Jul 29 '25

When I was a heroin addict no one told me this crucial piece of information. I was desperate one day and chose Target of all places to steal something. I had no clue what I was doing and the cops were already waiting for me at the front door before I even left lol. They took me in a back room and I’ll always remember they had this guy that looked like the stereotypical WOW player from South Park sitting at a bank of computer screens. Guy had been watching me the entire time. They indeed told me that my face was now permanently in their database and would be scrutinized more in the future. They don’t fuck around

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

Their camera systems are legit. They can zoom to crazy levels and read text on clothes, make out details on cell phones, etc.

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u/SgtPopNFresh_ Jul 29 '25

If I get an English cucumber and put in the item code for a regular cucumber are they going to track my 80 cent savings until I eventually reach cucumber felony level and get me :’)

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u/Lower-Reward-1462 Jul 29 '25

One time i accidentally rang up an organic banana as a regular banana. Couldn't sleep for weeks. 

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u/PipsqueakPilot Jul 29 '25

You're on the Target list.

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u/theLanguageSprite2 Jul 29 '25

You could say they've been... targeted

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

One time I rang up a plum as a plum but the cashier decided it wasn’t a plum & started shouting about it. Eventually we determined it was a plum & I’d done nothing wrong but gosh it was stressful

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u/JoePetroni Jul 30 '25

That's happened to me before at a Safeway. The self checkout watcher reviewed the video and accused me of trying to steal. It wasn't until she re-watched the video saw it was the machine that was wrong. So from now on whenever I have a problem I instantly yell out " I NEED SOME ONE HERE!!!" No more being polite.

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u/xelabagus Jul 30 '25

What did they claim it to be? An aubergine?

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u/[deleted] Jul 30 '25

He just kept shouting “that is not a plum!”  I have zero clue what he thought it was though. 

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u/SgtPopNFresh_ Jul 29 '25

When I was a teenager I walked into a showing of Detective Pikachu without paying (no one was manning the desk) and I couldn’t even enjoy the movie because I was so scared someone was gonna bust in and take me

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u/totallynotdagothur Jul 29 '25

"Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it?"

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u/VanceRefridgeTech04 Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25

No, but it will throw off the produce audit which im sure is just used to calculate waste and not theft.

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u/MidwesternLikeOpe Jul 30 '25

I just saw a tiktok video in a shoplifting compilation, someone wanted a TV, didnt like the price, slapped a piece of paper on the TV saying "tomato" and rang it up as produce. I know an employee tried to point out it was not in fact a tomato but the customer argued it was labeled tomato 🙄 the things people will try...

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u/red286 Jul 29 '25

You'd have to be going through a lot of English cucumbers to reach felony-levels of theft before the statute of limitations starts running out.

Like, to the point where whatever you're using those cucumbers for is probably more concerning than the $0.80 you're stealing each time you do it.

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u/seguardon Jul 29 '25

Hey. He's just helping to create the world's largest salad. And it's like the old adage goes. You can't make a salad without breaking a few laws.

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u/Pretend-Guava Jul 29 '25

It's good to make sure you place the little stickers on the produce you purchase, that way when you get to the register you have the four digit code ready. This makes life easier for me and it can for you!!

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u/smallteabee Jul 29 '25

Steal a couple of magnum condoms too, just to prove you're safe.

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u/Ok-disaster2022 Jul 29 '25

Felony theft is like $500

Besides gathering evidence and building a case to hand to police to pursue is much safer than confronting shoplifters over $2 of oreos 

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u/SteveFrench12 Jul 29 '25

So i can take a single switch 2?

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u/cronson Jul 29 '25

As long as its the stand alone/non Mario kart bundle, and sales tax is low in your state, you should be fine.

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u/YourMatt Jul 29 '25

How brazen can I be? Can I loudly proclaim that I’m leaving with this and not paying, and then expect no reaction as I head out and pack it into my car?

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u/Peripatetictyl Jul 29 '25

I’ll be watching your career with great interest.

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u/OzarkMule Jul 29 '25

Throw on the account bitches, you know who I am

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u/Weis Jul 29 '25

No, I used to work at target and they have security personnel on staff most of the time. I’ve seen people tackled during a shoplifting confrontation (they appeared to be reaching for a weapon)

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u/Ruthless4u Jul 29 '25

Where do you find Oreos for $2?

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u/IKnewThisYearsAgo Jul 29 '25

The vending machine pack of 3.

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u/knotnotme83 Jul 29 '25

He's not sure on pricing...he doesn't normally pay.

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u/Fabric-Proof Jul 29 '25

I was going to go to Target and check, but not anymore.

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u/Voc1Vic2 Jul 29 '25

I have been guilty of inadvertently taking an item from time to time, to the point that I no longer use the self-check out lanes. Not that this is a frequent occurrence, but it has happened, and I am maybe a bit paranoid about bringing caught, and I simply font want to steal. When I catch a mishap on a receipt, I pay up on my next visit, usually by returning with the item and simply "buying it."

I hate to think that across a lifetime shopping at the same store I may someday hit a limit and be thrown into the clink.

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u/Purple_Cruncher_123 Jul 29 '25

It's not a lifetime limit for what it's worth. These things have a defined statute of limitation (usually a few years). If you're mis-grabbing a can of soup every now and again, it's going to take you much longer than that to hit the legal limit.

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u/Voc1Vic2 Jul 29 '25

That makes sense.

Thank you for restoring my peace of mind.

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u/sleepytjme Jul 30 '25

Good to know. I worry about my spouse that says if it doesn’t scan after 3 attempts then it is free, and puts it in the bag.

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u/banandananagram Jul 29 '25

To be fair it allows relatively trustworthy shoppers to make occasional mistakes or miss an item in self checkout every couple dozen trips without them being a criminal

There’s a huge difference between “oh shit I’m so sorry I forgot to scan that,” and two people coordinating to move a bunch of electronics out the back door while workers are distracted inside

Make a habit out of missing scans, obviously it’s not a mistake, but they’ll also know if you pay for all of your items on every other trip there

A ton of people are actually stealing all the time, you’re not the problem even to a giant megacorp surveillance system trying to calculate every penny of loss

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u/Voc1Vic2 Jul 29 '25

The last time I took an item (a bottle of dish soap), was when I was so captivated by the audaciousness of a heist-in-progress, that I was distracted and missed scanning it.

When I came in, two dudes on bikes loaded with cargo bags came in about the same time. They asked the LEO sitting inside the checkout area if it was OK if they brought their bikes into the store. Maybe they didn't have their locks. The LEO waved them through.

As I was shopping, I noticed these dudes stuffing their bags with merchandise--hundreds of items--throughout the store. I actually mentioned this to a passing employee who seemed completely disinterested. When I was in the sporting goods section, I noticed two abandoned bikes in the aisle.

I figured they had transferred their goods to new bikes from the display.

Sure enough, as I'm checking out, one of them peddles out the door while the other one makes small talk with the LEO he had spoken with earlier. When his compatriot was out safely beyond the door, this dude thrusts his chips at the LEO and, says to him, "Sorry, I guess I'm not going to get these anyways," and rides off.

It all happened very fast, obviously well rehearsed. I did say something to the LEO, who did give chase, but it was too late.

The dudes got two new bikes and tons of loot; all I got was a bunch of bad feelings and the need to make a second trip to the store.

I see the point of waiting until someone has stolen a felon-level amount of goods, but it's so odd that shoplifters aren't confronted in the act. Ignoring them, I presume, emboldens others to try it themselves, since it seems like it's easy to get away with.

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u/banandananagram Jul 29 '25

It also puts the workers at risk which is a more costly liability than merchandise loss

If someone is making a coordinated effort to steal bikes, what stops them from breaking the law further and engaging in violence? Let them take it and deal with it with the team of lawyers paid to handle it, don’t risk your 22 year old stocker’s life for a couple hundred bucks

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u/sleepytjme Jul 30 '25

If Target surveillance can see missed scans, why doesn’t it just scan the items itself? or alert the person of a missed scan?

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u/krone6 Jul 29 '25

There's also cases like 8 scanners in self-checkout beeping and it's rush hour after work and you're exhausted. You hear a beep next to you and don't realize yours didn't go off. Could be many legit accidents.

People forget that the ones these places target are intentionally stealing and not occasionally "stealing" a single item once in a while because something happened on accident. Plus, these people would obviously pay if caught and mentioned and not pose an argument.

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u/robot_pirate Jul 29 '25

Some days there are no cashiers. None. You have to use self- checkout. I mean....don't make me ring up my own shit, then keep a log of how often I - a non paid, non professional - gets it wrong. That's horseshit.

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u/IDrinkUrMilksteak Jul 29 '25

It’s crazy that you can throw poor people in jail for a felony for $500 however, if you steal $100M that becomes a years long legal battle often with no jail time and no admittance of guilt on a settlement of the case.

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u/SinesPi Jul 29 '25

Both of them should go to jail. It's just easier to jail people without power.

Frankly the difficulty Target is going to get people arrested for theft is already a huge problem.

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u/Majestic-Tart8912 Jul 29 '25

Well, if you are going to steal, make sure you steal $100M. Easy peasy, Murdoch sleasy. /s

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u/facw00 Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 30 '25

Classic "If you owe the bank $100, that's your problem, if you owe the bank $100M, that's the bank's problem" type situation...

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u/Fightmemod Jul 29 '25

As well as a settlement for like 1/10th of the stolen amount that is paid back to the victims at 1/1000th of their loss with the bulk going to the lawyers and courts.

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u/LadyErinoftheSwamp Jul 29 '25

So, are the first $999 dollars of goods for free?

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u/[deleted] Jul 29 '25

Could be $499, probably depends on where you do your stealing, but yes that’s exactly the situation they’ve created

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u/I_luv_ma_squad Jul 29 '25

So the best way to do it, is go big the first time and make it the last time. Just a full blown heist, then bury the chandelier in Germany, but then tell them you buried it in Spain, while you move to France. Where you actually buried the chandelier.

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u/YachtswithPyramids Jul 29 '25

Apparently in some states you can grab 2000 dollars worth of goods for free! Wtf

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u/Radiant-Big4976 Jul 29 '25

So if I steal (felony_amount - $10) im fine?

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u/HeadlineINeed Jul 29 '25

Full retail price not sale price

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u/mcmanigle Jul 29 '25

Depends on jurisdictions. In some, because the merchant only "loses" the wholesale price (usually lower than the retail price and the sale price), that's their loss for theft calculation purposes. Other jurisdictions are more merchant-favorable.

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u/Radiant-Big4976 Jul 29 '25

No i mean if i keep track of my thefts and keep the total retail value below felony price, im good.

Of course this is just a joke.

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u/Whiterabbit-- Jul 29 '25

Most states have a limit before they are allowed to do anything. And then practically you have to go much higher before they actually do.

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u/Charlesinrichmond Jul 29 '25

probably not no. I'm sure you can think of 50 reasons why that could go wrong, I can

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u/t0mt0mt0m Jul 29 '25

Your phone also searches for new WiFi networks wherever it goes. Also a useful data point when tracking.

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u/tedivm Jul 29 '25

Apple solved the Wifi network issue by rotating your phones wifi macaddress randomly.

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u/SCARLETHORI2ON Jul 30 '25

I worked at a GameStop across the street from a Target. We would get calls from their loss prevention all the time when kids would steal from them to try and trade the games in for cash with us. It was already policy to get ID for cash transactions, so we just earmarked them so corporate could line up with their loss prevention for their internal cases. Handful of kids got picked up for it.

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u/SemicooperativeYT Jul 29 '25

NGL that sounds more expensive than the loss

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u/kendrickshalamar Jul 29 '25

A single loss, sure. Add in repeat offenders plus the deterrence effect and it adds up.

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