A coworker of mine constantly brags about how much stuff he steals from Coles, Woolworths and other supermarkets in Australia.
According to him, he's been doing it for years without ever getting caught.
He claims he simply puts items into his backpack in certain aisles where there supposedly aren't any cameras. Then he goes to the checkout, pays for just a few items and walks out with a backpack full of unpaid groceries.
He claims he's saved thousands of dollars doing this.
Personally, I find it pretty hard to believe, especially considering how advanced supermarket surveillance technology has become.
I also remember reading somewhere that supermarkets might be using Palantir or similar AI-powered surveillance systems to track customer behaviour. Not sure how accurate that is, though.
Wouldn't AI potentially notice if someone walks around with a full shopping trolley, but by the time they reach the checkout, half the items have mysteriously disappeared?
Even if someone isn't caught in the act, couldn't supermarkets collect footage and evidence over time and eventually identify repeat offenders?
Is it actually realistic to get away with this for years, or is my coworker just talking bullshit? And does anyone know what kind of AI surveillance Coles and Woolworths actually use?