Cape Coral Man Arrested in $2,500 Ramen Noodle Barcode Scam

Cape Coral Police arrested David Crespo, 67, who stole more than $2,500 in groceries by scanning ramen noodle barcodes at self-checkout while bagging higher-priced items.

Crespo conducted 97 fraudulent transactions at Publix, 2420 Santa Barbara Boulevard South, between December 2025 and May 2026, stealing approximately 360 items. He scanned Maruchan ramen noodles priced at $0.59 to $0.69 while placing expensive groceries in his bags, according to police.

Surveillance footage showed a consistent pattern across dozens of visits. Officers observed Crespo using the same method during a theft on May 14 and found multiple ramen noodle barcodes in his pockets during a search after his arrest.

Publix management discovered discrepancies in self-checkout transactions and alerted police. Property Crimes Detectives linked Crespo to the scheme through video evidence.

Officers transported Crespo to Lee County Jail. He faces one count of grand theft and one count of petit theft under Florida law.