She was caught when store managers noticed her frequently using the self-service checkout, sometimes multiple times a day, and looking nervous.
Police later found the scanned barcodes on Milner's computer, and grocery items in her house with the fake barcodes attached.
Her defense lawyer, Matthew Fairclough, says Milner was ‘struggling financially’ which motivated her to attempt the scheme.
She was convicted of 31 counts of fraud and other offenses at Ipswich Magistrates Court and ordered to pay Woolworths $2070 and Coles $1545. She was also fined $150. She was also sentenced to 9 months in jail, which is suspended for three years.