A Queensland mum faced court charged with fraud after coming up with a scheme to steal from Coles and Woolworths using the self-service checkouts.
35-year-old Kylie Milner photocopied the barcodes from 65c and 72c packets of instant noodles, before glueing them to sticky labels and attaching them to more expensive items in the supermarket – reports the Queensland Times.
Using the fake barcodes, Milner was able to pay less than a dollar for packaged meats, protein powers, toilet paper, sheet sets, and even a coffee machine.
In three months, Milner was able to purchase $4500 worth of goods for a fraction of their cost.
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.
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