Store Clerk Defends Himself Against Robber With Barcode Scanner
The uses for a barcode scanner may be quite varied but being used as a weapon to defend your business against a robber has got to be the most daring of all.
This story starts at a Family Mart convenience store in Osaka, Japan at 4am when a young male in his 20’s comes in and asks the 41-year-old clerk for a pack of cigarettes. According to the clerk’s statement, while he was behind the register scanning the barcode on the cigarette pack, the customer pulled out a knife and a bag. The customer-turn-robber threatened the clerk with the knife and demanded the money from the register be emptied into the bag.
While Japan is a very safe country with almost no gun usage, larger cities do have instances of robbery and theft most commonly with the use of a knife.
Barcode Hair?
While barcodes are a crucial tool for trade and commerce, they have also sneaked their way into cultural norms as well. From being used as props in sci-fi films to barcode tattoos, the humble barcode has become such a commonplace item that it is only natural it has become an object of popular culture.
Probably one of the funniest uses of the term barcode comes from Japan. “Barcode hair” is a commonly used term to describe a balding gentleman that comes over his hair. As you can see in the image, barcode is the first thing to come to mind. Not the most endearing term but definitely descriptive.
I wonder if a 2D imager could read this?
