76-Year-Old Woman Arrested for Barcode-Switching Scheme at Port St. Lucie Target
A 76-year-old woman, Joan McKeon, was arrested for allegedly using counterfeit barcode stickers to purchase items at significantly reduced prices at a Target store in Port St. Lucie, Florida. According to the Port St. Lucie Police Department, McKeon was detained by store loss-prevention employees after she was observed using barcode stickers for lower-priced products at the self-checkout. During the incident, an item priced at $32.99 was scanned as $1.29. A search of McKeon’s purse revealed 28 barcode stickers, some from other retailers like TJ Maxx, Publix, and Burlington. Police are investigating whether these retailers were also affected. The investigation has documented 12 similar thefts at the same Target store since September 2025. McKeon faces charges related to an ongoing scheme to defraud and is currently held at the St. Lucie County Jail.