WINONA, Minn. – Police arrested a Winona woman who had been identified by store detectives at Target as changing UPC codes on merchandise to lower prices. Cheslea Elizabeth Oevering, 36, was jailed for possessing a burglary toos and theft. Police said she was carrying a held-held printer for universal product code labels. These devices are available online for $40. With her cellphone, the store detectives said, Oevering created new pre-gummed labels that she applied on top the store’s original labels. At the check-out counter, according to store detectives, she paid:
> $9 for a $69 item.
> $4 for a $68 item.
> $2 for a $21 item.
Do The math: $16 for $158. Store detectives said they got onto Overing when surveillance cameras captured her doing odd things with her phone in the shopping aisles. She had her phone connected by a cord to her hand-held UPC printer, they said. The device, a little more complex than some, could print labels in three sizes.
Oevering. Stopped after check-out.
UPC counterfeiting. Dozens of these devices available online. So too are ready-to-print gummed labels.