Walmart self-checkout thief who used ‘barcode’ trick to scam machines released from jail after only two weeks

A WALMART shopper who was caught scamming the self-checkout machines has been released from jail after two weeks.

Valerie Jeanne Petters was found guilty of theft after being arrested in October.

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Marion County cops revealed Petters removed the barcodes from Kool-Aid packages.

She repeatedly scanned them through the checkout at a Walmart store in Summerfield – located around 60 miles from Orlando.

She didn’t scan the barcodes of the items she had in her cart, which included a hoodie and cream, per Villages News.

The total value of the items in Petters’ cart came to $94.32, according to police.

Earlier this month, she was sentenced to 15 days in jail with credit for two days already served.

Petters was released from jail on December 23 and has been put on probation for 12 months.

Cops have ordered her to complete 40 hours of community service.

Self-checkouts have been a constant in stores across the US for over a decade, but the technology doesn’t come without flaws.

Experts have warned how shoplifters use the machines.

“What they [retailers] didn’t take into account was that it could potentially impact their bottom line,” Matt Kelley, of Liveview Technologies, told local Fox affiliate WTTG.

Some retailers have even removed self-checkouts from their stores in a drastic bid to crack down on shoplifting.

Target execs closed its self-checkout stations at its store on Mission Street, San Francisco.

Safeway also shut its self-checkout stations at one of its outlets in the city, per SFGate.

Walmart hit the headlines earlier this year when it removed self-checkout stations from three of its stores in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The supermarket giant didn’t reveal why the kiosks were removed, nor did they link it to crime.

At the time, Walmart spokesperson Josh Havens said: “We continually look at ways to provide our customers with the best shopping experience and that includes adjusting the checkout area in stores.”

Walmart hasn’t removed self-checkouts from all of their stores across the US.

Grocery chains such as Trader Joe’s and Sparkle Markets have said they will not be introducing self-checkout stations any time soon.