This Walmart Store Has Seen a ‘Huge' Decrease in Shoplifting After Making 1 Major Change
Local police state that calls and arrests to the supercenter have decreased by over half in a year-over-year comparison
In an email to PEOPLE, Walmart stated that it currently does not have plans to remove self-checkout options in any other storesA Walmart in Missouri has dealt with significantly less crime after tearing out its self-checkout lanes.
In a recent presentation to city officials, Shrewsbury Police Chief Lisa Vargas stated that police calls and arrests at a local Walmart supercenter were down by over half when compared to the same period in the previous year, per local news outlet the Webster-Kirkwood Times.
Walmart removed the self-checkout option at the Shrewsbury location in April 2024. Prior to the change, many people were checking themselves out and not paying for items, per the outlet.
Vargas stated that in January through May 2024, the Shrewsbury Police Department responded to 1,915 calls — over 25% of which came from the local Walmart. In the same period in 2025, only 11% of calls were regarding issues from the store, per the Times.
'That's a huge change. We really appreciate Walmart taking initiative and removing those self-checkers,' Vargas said during her presentation, per the outlet.
PEOPLE reached out to the Shrewsbury Police for comment on Friday, June 20, but did not receive an immediate response.
'We're always looking for ways to innovate in our stores, including the checkout experience,' Charles Crowson, Walmart's Director of Global Affairs, said in an email to PEOPLE.
'Any adjustments are based on varying factors, including feedback from associates and customers, shopping patterns and business needs in the area,' he continued, adding that Walmart does not have plans to remove self-checkouts from other locations.
This isn't the first time that Walmart has implemented changes in an effort to prevent shoplifting. In 2024, the retailer introduced handheld scanners at select locations, which enabled employees to ensure that shoppers were not using old or fake receipts to walk out of stores with unpaid items.
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The chain also has been making changes to combat card skimming, which is a tactic used by thieves to steal credit card information by installing official-looking devices over the existing devices at self-checkout stations, per ABC affiliate WSET.
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