POLICE are hunting for a 51-year-old man accused of orchestrating a dangerous self-checkout scam.

Shawn Whiddon has been identified as the man accused of fraudulently purchasing a crossbow from Walmart.

It is alleged that Whiddon used the barcode for a child’s crossbow, priced at just $25, to purchase an adult crossbow valued at $239 from self-checkout at a Pennsylvania Walmart.

And this isn’t Whiddon’s first run-in with the law either, according to police.

Authorities suspect Whiddon has pulled off similar thefts at other nearby Walmart locations.

Police believe that he is driving a black Chevrolet Silverado with Ohio registration plates.

These out-of-state plates make it easier for him to move from store to store and evade detection.

At first glance this may seem like a minor theft.

But the implications of a theft of this nature may have far-reaching and dangerous implications.

These types of crossbows, especially adult-sized ones, are not just expensive but can also be dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands.

Why Widdon stole a crossbow is unknown, and raises serious public safety concerns.

Although the weapon that Whiddon stole isn’t a high capacity firearm, there is always the risk that stolen weapons of any kind could be used in violent crimes.

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Other ways this can impact the community is by possibly being the reason for further restrictions on self-checkout, which has already been the subject of mass scrutiny on social media for a variety of reasons.

Self-checkout systems are designed to enhance convenience and efficiency for shoppers.

However, scams like these give retailers a reason to put these limitations in place, especially since the community’s safety is at risk in this example.

Retailers may be forced to rethink the use of self-checkouts, potentially leading to longer lines and more inconvenience for honest shoppers.

Other ways retailers may decide to combat fraud, might be needing to invest in more sophisticated security systems and staff training.

These added costs can then be the excuse for higher prices in that store, as the business looks to recoup their investments.

Additionally, increased security measures can create a more intrusive shopping experience, where every customer is viewed with suspicion.

And there is already plenty of complaints about that by consumers on social media.

Besides the issues and limits with self-checkout, customers have complained about almost all everyday items being locked behind glass to extra receipt checks, and even the lack of employees available for help and checkout lanes, which result in long wait times.

So while a self-checkout scam might seem like a minor issue, the broader implications of the crossbow theft are significant.

It undermines trust between both the store and the customer, could lead to increases costs, and the stolen crossbow threatens public safety.