Man jailed 6 months for cheating supermarkets using fake barcode stickers
Provision shop owner jailed six months for cheating supermarket
A tin of milk powder can, depending on the brand, cost almost $150, but he paid only $1.25 for each tin.
And the items were not on sale.
Zhang Bobo, 27, a provision shop owner, had created fake barcode stickers that he scanned at the supermarket's self-checkout counters.
He was eventually caught red-handed and was jailed for six months yesterday after pleading guilty to four cheating charges.
Facing financial problems, Zhang planned to get milk powder at reduced prices to sell online.
He used his label printer to produce tags for Marigold evaporated milk priced at $1.25 each.
He then stuck them onto various products such as milk powder tins, dresses, toys, chocolates and even a paper shredder inside a Giant supermarket at Tampines North Drive 2.
SELF-CHECKOUT
He then paid for them at the self-checkout counters.
That branch suffered a loss of $3,524.72 between September and November last yeardue to this.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Sanjiv Vaswani said Zhang had observed self-checkout counters at supermarkets before striking the Tampines Giant in September last year.
He bought three 1,600g tins of Pediasure milk powder worth $246.60 for $138.90.
The amount got bigger by Nov 1 that year when he stuck his $1.25 tags onto items including two 1,600g tins of S26 Pro 2S milk powder worth $292.80.
That day, the value of the items was $629.70, but he paid only $10.
Zhang continued committing the offence from Nov 2 to Nov 6, causing the supermarket to suffer an additional $2,366.52 in losses.
On Nov 6, he tried to cheat the supermarket again, but he was caught when a supermarket worker identified him at a checkout counter.
Zhang's lawyer, Mr Michael Han, pleaded for compassion and mercy, saying his client was very remorseful.
He told District Judge Low Wee Ping that his client's provision shop was financed by his father, who was pressuring him to settle a debt.
Mr Han asked the court if his client could defer his sentence by three months, as he was selling his shop.
Judge Low allowed him to defer sentence to April 27.
Seven other counts of cheating and two counts of attempted cheating were taken into consideration during sentencing. For each count of cheating, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
WHAT HE BOUGHT
Third week of September 2015
Three 1,600g tins of PediaSure milk powder: $246.60
He paid: $138.90
First week of October 2015
Three 1,600g tins of PediaSure milk powder: $246.60
He paid: $138.90
Second week of October 2015
Three 1,600g tins of PediaSure milk powder: $246.60
He paid: $138.90
Third week of October 2015
Three 1,600g tins of PediaSure milk powder: $246.60
He paid: $138.90
Fourth week of October 2015
Three 1,600g tins of PediaSure milk powder: $246.60
He paid: $138.90
Nov 1, 2015
Two 850g tins of Similac milk powder: $119.80
Two 900g tins of Enfamil St1 milk powder: $118.20
Two 1,600g tins of S26 Pro 2S milk powder: $292.80
One Enzion cooker: $69
One Sensonic vacuum cleaner: $29.90
Total value: $629.70
He paid: $10
Nov 2, 2015
Two 1,600g tins of S26 Pro 2S milk powder: $292.80
Four 900g tins of S26 S3 Pro milk powder: $177.60
One dress: $23.90
One LDS print dress: $16
One pair of slippers: $9.90
One paper shredder: $73.50
Total value: $593.70
He paid: $12.50
Second occasion on Nov 2, 2015
Two 1,600g tins of S26 Pro 2S milk powder: $292.80
He paid: $2.50
Nov 3, 2015
One Hello Kitty Burger Home set: $50
Six 1,600g tins of PediaSure milk powder: $493.20
One Cadbury chocolate product: $9.95
Two jars of St Dalfour jam: $9.40
One Hello Kitty toy: $15.30
One packet of beef: $5.77
One Belgian chocolate product: $9.95
One Glow chocolate product: $14.90
One Hello Kitty toy: $9.90
One cup Danone yogurt: $7.85
Total value: $626.22
He paid: $20
Second occasion on Nov 3, 2015
One 1,600g tin of PediaSure milk powder: $82.20
Three 900g tins Karihome Kid milk powder: $160.20
Two 900g tins Karihome Grow milk powder: $106.80
Total value: $349.20
He paid: $7.50
Nov 6, 2015
Four 1,600g tins of PediaSure milk powder: $328.80
One 1,600g twin pack of Enfagrow milk powder: $161.60
One Avent bottle: $29.90
One tiger-print carpet: $6.90
One brown teddy bear: $29.90
Total value: $557.10
He paid: $10
Total loss incurred: $3,524.72
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