Self-serve checkout scam nets mum thousands in groceries
A painstaking self-serve checkout scam has seen a “financially struggling” Queensland woman sentenced to nine months prison, suspended for three years.
The Queensland Times reports Kylie Milner, 35, of Ipswich, spent months preparing a stash of fake barcodes for 65c and 72c packets of fried noodles.
She then attached the printed sticky labels to more expensive products and defrauded the two supermarket giants of $4500 worth of products.
Coles and Woolworths shops at Springfield, Booval, Collingwood Park, Brookwater and Goodna were targeted in the scam, which saw Milner visit up to twice daily.
She was only caught after staff noticed a regular female customer who looked nervous when checking out, the Queensland Times reported.
Her lawyer told the Ipswich Magistrates Court Milner was struggling financially and had been motived by need rather than greed.
She pleaded guilty on 31 counts of fraud as well as three counts of attempted fraud and a count of possessing a drug utensil.
Milner has also been ordered to pay Coles $2070 and Woolworths $1545.
She also copped a $150 fine.
Since drawing down their checkout staff in favour of unmanned self-service desks, usually supervised by a single staff member, both supermarket giants have reported a marked increase in theft.
The problem was estimated to be worth more than $1 billion per year in losses to the retail monoliths, and has seen both company’s call on police to step into the gap to stem the flow.
Today's top news stories - February 14
