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Walmart shopper uses ‘switcheroo at self-checkout to walk out the door with $2,300 worth of goods’

A WALMART customer was arrested after he allegedly stole thousands using a ‘switcheroo’ trick.

Ryan Meador was taken into custody for stealing $2,300 worth of merchandise, police say.

Mugshot of a man accused of a Walmart switcheroo.
Facebook/Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office
Ryan Meador was arrested for allegedly stealing from Walmart[/caption]
Security camera footage of a person using a self-checkout at Walmart.
Facebook/Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office
The man allegedly used a self-checkout trick to steal merchandise[/caption]
Customers entering a Walmart store.
Getty
The man stole $2,300 worth of merchandise from Walmart, police say[/caption]

Meador would allegedly apply the price tag of a cheaper item to a more expensive one, making the product appear significantly less costly.

“Through investigation, we learned – between July 15th & July 25th – one suspect stole more than $2300.00 in collector sports cards (TOPPS and other brand(s) baseball / football),” Sheriff Jason Ard said in a Facebook post

“So, we learned he would ‘palm’ the UPC barcodes for cheaper items (EXAMPLE: Great Value pasta @ $0.98 and similar items). 

“Essentially, he was scanning the cheaper barcodes in place of the Sports item(s).”

The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s office said the suspect was captured on camera stealing from the Walmart in Watson, Louisiana

The sheriff’s office partnered with the LSP Fugitive Task Force to take Meador into custody.

He was arrested for one count of felony theft and six misdemeanor cases combined to one felony for an aggregate amount. 

“Our detectives have been working with partner agencies & Meador could be facing more charges in other jurisdictions,” the sheriff said. 

“Our investigation continues.” 

Attached to the Facebook post is a photo of Meador, with writing that reads: “All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

Other photos on the post show a man’s hand holding a barcode above the product he’s checking out at a self-checkout machine. 

Four different photos taken from security footage show a person pulling the “switcheroo” trick.

The switcheroo trick has some Facebook users begging for regular checkout aisles manned by employees rather than self-checkout machines.

“Maybe if they put cashiers back at the registers, they wouldn’t have thefts like this and skip scanning,” one user commented under the announcement of Meador’s arrest.

Anti-theft measures rolled out by retailers

Retailers across the US and Canada have rolled out strategies designed to combat theft. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of measures that have been implemented at stores.

  • Locking items in cabinets
  • Security pegs
  • Security cameras
  • Signs warning about the impact of theft
  • Receipt scanners
  • Receipt checks
  • Carts with locking technology

Another woman said this type of theft is inevitable with self-checkout machines.

“That’s what happens when customers are allowed to scan their merchandise,” she commented. 

“He’s no different than the ones who are only scanning every other item. When will Walmart learn? I guess it is all factored in to the cost of doing business. 

“Meanwhile, those of us who refuse to use self-checkouts will absorb the losses in paying higher prices.”

Other users simply made fun of the suspect for stealing baseball cards.

“Who goes to jail for kids cards?” one person commented.

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Influencer wife ‘defends husband’ who hurled horrific abuse at Virgin Atlantic stewardess he threatened to ‘gang rape’

ONE of the wives of a business tycoon who threatened to gang rape an air hostess during a flight has appeared to defend her partner online.

Disturbing footage captured the moment Salman Iftikhar, 37, told Virgin Atlantic crew member Angie Walsh she would be attacked in her hotel after landing.

Salman Iftikhar on a plane.
Central News
Salman Iftikhar, 37, was filmed threatening a Virgin Atlantic stewardess[/caption]
Couple relaxing on a yacht.
Instagram
Pakistani actress Abeer Rizvi appeared to defend her vile husband on social media[/caption]
Woman in black hoodie and beanie.
Supermodel and actress, Rizvi, begged people to ‘be human’ and understand the pain behind every person’s story
instagram/@abeeriftekhar
Salman Iftikhar, a recruitment boss, in a tuxedo.
Central News
The father-of-three was with one of his wife and kids on a flight when he unleashed his vile rants[/caption]

Iftikhar later threatened to blow up the five-star hotel where the cabin crew were set to stay.

He was finally caged for 15 months at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting making threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment.

One of Iftikhar’s two wives has now posted a cryptic message appearing to defend her disgraced husband.

Supermodel and actress, Abeer Rizvi, 37, begged people to “be human” and understand the pain behind every person’s story.

Rizvi said on Instagram: “Mental health is not a joke. Behind every story there is pain you don’t see.

“Before judging, try understanding. Be kind. Be human.”

The popular Pakistani actress has over half a million followers on social media where she often shares clips of her husband.

But Iftikhar lives in the UK with another woman who is also the mother to his children.

Iftikhar, Erum Salman, 38, and their three children all live in a £2million six-bedroom home in Buckinghamshire.

The couple run a London-based staffing company that provides training to businesses working in customer service and manufacturing.

Salman and the children were all forced to watch on in horror during the flight from hell.

Iftikhar’s vile rant was spouted on an eight-hour flight from London Heathrow to Lahore, Pakistan, on February 7 2023.

Prosecutor Abdul Kapadia said Iftikhar was drinking champagne at the onboard bar and leant over to get his own ice.

He said: “When told to stop, the defendant became irate, and started to film cabin crew with his phone, telling them: ‘Do not tell me what to do you b***h.

“When asked by the cabin crew to return to his seat, he then said: ‘Don’t tell me what to do you racist f***ing b***h. I know where you are from in Cardiff.”

He continued to call Ms Walsh a “f***ing b***h” before his escalating behaviour sparked a possible flight diversion to Turkey.

Mr Kapadia added: “His wife was ashamed. His three children were also on-board, and other crew members were called to assist, but the defendant continued shouting and swearing.

“He was slurring his words, with his voice raised.”

Mental health quote: Be kind, be human.
Rizvi’s Instagram post from today
instagram/@abeeriftekhar
Two women in red suits stand together outdoors.
Central News
Angie (left) was supported by sister Claire Walsh (right) at Birmingham Crown Court[/caption]
Photo of Salman Iftikhar with his family; children's faces are pixelated.
Facebook
Iftikhar with his second wife Erum Salman, 38, and their three children[/caption]

The out-of-control passenger then told cabin crew he would blow up the floor of their hotel.

No action was taken against Iftikhar when he stepped off the aircraft in Pakistan.

He was only arrested at his expensive detached home in Iver after his holiday.

The judge also took into account Iftikhar’s six previous convictions, including a common assault – a record she described as “lengthy and appalling”.

Iftikhar was living a life of luxury before his jail stint.

He boasts a range of expensive cars on his driveway in Buckinghamshire including a Range Rover, Bentley and Rolls-Royce.

In one photo, he is seen posing in front of a royal blue Rolls-Royce kitted out with a white leather interior.

Other extravagant snaps show a number of his pricey motors parked outside the home of the Buckinghamshire property.

A neighbour of Iftikhar, who asked that their identity remain anonymous, told the Daily Mail: “He’s definitely very flash, someone who likes to flaunt his wealth.

“How he made his money is beyond me, he ran a recruitment consultancy but I didn’t really tend to see him leave for work. He was around the house most of the time.

Angie Walsh's gut-wrenching impact statement

IN an impact statement, Angie Walsh said she was forced to take off 14 months and the altercation “changed my life enormously”.

“I can’t quite believe that one passenger has had this much of an impact on my, my job, my career and my life,” she said.

“I am a strong brave, happy stewardess, and loved my job. I am well known within the company.

“But I had to take 14 months off work. 

“I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I’ve even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me.

“But I don’t feel strong enough anymore. I was abused for eight hours and 15 mins. It has broken me. It was a very personal attack.

“I was doing everything in my power to protect passengers and the crew from him. I felt exposed and vulnerable, especially as we were 39,000 feet in the air. There was nowhere for me to go.

“There was one moment where I felt I could not cope. I went into the cockpit and had a meltdown. I said to the captain I don’t know what to do. 

“I was traumatised by the threat of being gang raped. Never in my entire career flying for 37 years have I not been sure what to do.

“I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me.”

“One thing he did like was cars. He owned a Bentley and Range Rover, but he’d also drive different cars on a temporary basis – usually expensive looking ones.”

The neighbour added that Iftikhar would sometimes come back in the night “revving the engine of his car and blaring music” after going out.

Another local said: “He’d usually tear down this road in a Range Rover or some other powerful car. He was a bit of a poser when it came to cars and his house.”

Despite his apparent wealth, a failed business venture left the recruitment boss millions of pounds in debt.

The business mogul previously owned an aviation recruitment business, however it went into administration owing more than £11million to HMRC and £6.885million to HSBC.

Man in suit leaning against blue Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Instagram
The dad often shows off his lavish lifestyle online[/caption]
Woman in jeans and red heels walking at night.
instagram/@abeeriftekhar
The popular Pakistani actress has over half a million followers on social media where she often shares clips of her husband[/caption]

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‘Smothered’s’ Gabriella Vigorito reveals if she would let her mom be her surrogate on Page Six Radio

Gabriella Vigorito and her mom Catherine Galasso-Vigorito do everything together, but would the “sMothered” star let her mom carry her baby? The dynamic duo joined Page Six Radio hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real, and Gabriella revealed if she would let her mom be her surrogate. Watch the clip to see their reaction. Subscribe to...

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‘Smothered’s’ Gabriella Vigorito reveals if she would let her mom be her surrogate on Page Six Radio

Gabriella Vigorito and her mom Catherine Galasso-Vigorito do everything together, but would the “sMothered” star let her mom carry her baby? The dynamic duo joined Page Six Radio hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real, and Gabriella revealed if she would let her mom be her surrogate. Watch the clip to see their reaction. Subscribe to...

Read More »