# Possibly the most WTF-worthy news headline I've ever read. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 23, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874 "2012-05-23T20:27:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/41 "2012-05-24T08:08:51Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > Boy, I’d like to do a barcode swap against all of Walmart. Not actually buy the products, but swap barcodes so that their inventory goes ka-fluey. If that is what Lagenbach wanted to do, he could have just given Walmart a gratis copy of SAP/Inventory 😉 Si ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/42 "2012-05-24T12:40:54Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Ah, see I thought about that but had more extreme examples in mind. Like if you went to buy a digital camera and it rang up as a $0.99 pack of Skittles, someone might notice something is amiss. That’s what the self-checkout lane is for. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/43 "2012-05-24T12:50:12Z")
There is a guy who pranked a grocery store loyalty card by printing up stickers with his barcode and distributing them to people. Suddenly, as far as the store could tell, he was racing around California buying products. Anyone know who I’m talking about?😉 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/44 "2012-05-24T13:46:26Z")
> [@digs](#): > > wait… if he _swapped_ bar codes, doesn’t that mean the Lego set ended up being $13.99, and the My Little Pony Playset was suddenly $64.99? > > Did any Bronies pay the Overly Expensive Price? Hope not. Isn’t being a “Brony” punishment enough? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/45 "2012-05-24T14:08:33Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Hope not. Isn’t being a “Brony” punishment enough? A side-issue not worth its own thread, but I’ve heard the term “Brony” before. I assume the -ony comes from My Little Pony. Does the br- come from the word brother or is it something else? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/46 "2012-05-24T14:33:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A side-issue not worth its own thread, but I’ve heard the term “Brony” before. > > I assume the -ony comes from My Little Pony. Does the br- come from the word brother or is it something else? Sort of…it comes from ‘Bro’, which certainly comes from brother. It’s a term used to describe teen to adult aged male fans of the new My Little Pony cartoon show (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.) Bronies is _weird_, man. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/47 "2012-05-24T16:12:37Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > If you have $2 million to spend on a house, then that’s $2 million dollars, whether or not it happens to be typical for the area where you’ve chosen to live. I agree with you in principle. But, as mentioned upthread, it’s possible this guy qualified for a $2mil interest-only loan, which combined with bad luck now means he is currently in debt up to his eyeballs. It’s possible for a person to be overwhelmed to the point where selling stolen legos on ebay seemed like a good plan. _We don’t know_. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/48 "2012-05-24T16:31:46Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I agree with you in principle. > But, as mentioned upthread, it’s possible this guy qualified for a $2mil interest-only loan, which combined with bad luck now means he is currently in debt up to his eyeballs. It’s possible for a person to be overwhelmed to the point where selling stolen legos on ebay seemed like a good plan. _We don’t know_. Or it was once worth three million. ---
**Author:** ![qubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@qubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qubed)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/49 "2012-05-24T16:39:11Z")
He could have bought the house 10 years ago or more, when it was probably worth less than one million. The house basically gives very little indication of his liquid assets and purchasing power. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/50 "2012-05-24T19:33:17Z")
And now there’s [another guy](http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=234944&title=DA%20builds%20case%20in%20Lego%20thefts). > [@](#): > > Donald Morales, 44, is charged with 14 counts of commercial burglary and one count of grand theft for reported incidents at four different Target stores in San Mateo County. Morales, who was cited rather than taken into custody after his February arrest, failed to appear in court Wednesday morning for arraignment, leading a judge to issue a warrant. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/51 "2012-05-24T20:23:53Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > And now there’s [another guy](http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=234944&title=DA%20builds%20case%20in%20Lego%20thefts). It’s worse than we thought! There’s a conspiratorial LEGO crime syndicate out there. The authorities are just going to have to disassemble it piece by piece. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/52 "2012-05-24T20:27:25Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > It’s worse than we thought! There’s a **conspiratorial LEGO crime syndicate out there.** The authorities are just going to have to disassemble it piece by piece. Probably headed by **Bricker.** _flees_ ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/53 "2012-05-25T01:39:19Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > And now there’s [another guy](http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=234944&title=DA%20builds%20case%20in%20Lego%20thefts). This was funny > [@](#): > > San Mateo County prosecutors say Morales, too, was actually buying the items, albeit it for a much reduced price, rather than shoplifting them outright. After his arrest, Morales said he was out of work and needed money, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. He also reportedly told authorities he didn’t make that much profit because of the shipping and PayPal fees. “The overhead in being a thief was just too expensive,” Wagstaffe said. ---
**Author:** ![ripopgome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@ripopgome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ripopgome)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/54 "2012-05-25T01:50:44Z")
I’m pretty sure both these mother-----s are responsible for the crappy Lego inventory at my local Target (I shop at the one closest to the San Carlos guy’s house, and as it’s the busiest in the area, probably the target of the other dude too.) OTOH, my kid **seriously** does not need any more Lego, so maybe it’s not such a bad thing 🙂 I didn’t look at his address but $2M is not a crazy house in San Carlos. Really nice, yes. Mansion? Not so much. I was trying to buy into San Carlos and got priced out for 4BR houses, but I ain’t no VP at SAP. He has to be making $300K minimum, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s 2-5X that (no idea how many VPs there are, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/55 "2012-05-25T02:22:22Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > I’ve assumed that the barcodes only contain the SKU, and the stores computers pull up a cost to go with that. Otherwise how would barcodes that are printed on the packaging by the manufacturer work? > > I’m guessing that what he did was overlay a different barcode over the pre-printed one. So that instead of scanning as a $150 Lego Deathstar, the scanner sees a $75 smaller Starwars Lego kit. Unless the cashier knows that Deathstar sets don’t sell for $75, they would see “Big Lego Set” and not catch the difference. Correct. Most stores use the UPC, which is printed on the box by the manufacturer. It contains no price information; all it does is provide a unique and global number for the product (in this case “Lego set #1234”). The store’s POS system associates the UPC with its price on that day. No amount of encryption or obfuscation will stop someone copying the barcode from a cheap product and putting it on one that’s more expensive. You need an alert cashier to detect that. RFID will help, until someone figures out a way to swap RFID tags. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/56 "2012-05-25T03:28:48Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > That’s what the self-checkout lane is for. 😉 I know you’re kidding, but most self-checkouts detect the item’s weight and/or dimensions/shape. So actually, a self-checkout is probably much less vulnerable to this type of crime than a human cashier. ---
**Author:** ![Stendhal\_Syndrome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Stendhal\_Syndrome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stendhal_Syndrome)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/57 "2012-05-25T05:05:02Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > …Not exactly like he had to debate between mac-n-cheese or hot dogs six nights a week. My nine year old does this every night.😃 ---
**Author:** ![SunSandSuffering](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@SunSandSuffering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunSandSuffering)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/58 "2012-05-25T09:12:28Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > And the irony is that if you already owned one, you wouldn’t have to worry about the price. That was genuinely funny! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/59 "2012-05-25T09:48:50Z")
Why didn’t he just switch to Mega Bloks instead?? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874/60 "2012-05-25T10:48:45Z")
If he did it to multiple boxes but only bought one, I could think maybe he just thinks he’s doing some sort of Robin Hood thing, marking down the prices to what he thinks they should cost for everyone. And then, since he’s done such a good deed, he also gets to do it for his own purchase, as a reward. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-the-most-wtf-worthy-news-headline-ive-ever-read/622874.md?page=4)