Tahlia Biggs, 21, guilty over shoplifting at Kmart Robina Town Centre

A Gold Coast serial shoplifter has been warned her luck might have finally run out after a second brush with the law this year alone. Why she was given another chance.

A serial shoplifter has been busted taking linen and lego at a Gold Coast Kmart. Picture: Archive

A serial Gold Coast shoplifter has been given a final warning by a court to change her ways after escaping a criminal conviction for a seventh time.

Tahlia Biggs was already serving a two-year probation order for attempted stealing and assault occasioning bodily harm when she reoffended at Kmart Robina Town Centre in March.

“The defendant (Biggs) and co-offender have entered the business, the co-offender was pushing a pram containing a baby and the defendant was pushing a trolley,” Queensland Police Service prosecutor Sergeant Greg McKenzie told Coolangatta Magistrates Court.

“They’ve walked to the manchester area and placed sheet sets and a blanket into the trolley. They have then attended the toys area and selected Lego, which was placed into the trolley.
“The defendant and co-offender have then exited the store making no attempt to pay for the property.”

Police attended the Kmart store and reviewed CCTV footage. Picture: Archive.

A Kmart loss prevention officer witnessed the offence on CCTV and stopped the 20-year-old and her companion to retrieve the $164 worth of goods. Sergeant McKenzie said the pair then left the shopping centre. Police reviewed the footage, identified Biggs, and later attended her address to charge her.
“I’ve got the defendant’s (criminal) history. The most recent entry is in February of this year for possess tainted property,” Sergeant McKenzie told the court.
“Prior to that in August 2024 – unlawful possession of suspected stolen property. She did receive a period of probation for similar offending. That was set in October of 2023.

“Prior to that – a stealing (offence). And a good behaviour bond for a further stealing (offence). The history is there – the recidivist nature of it.”

Biggs pleaded guilty in court on Monday and was represented by duty lawyer Mollie Roper, who explained the single mother was not the one who placed the items into the trolley.

“Her co-offender paid for a drink. My client thought she was paying for the balance of the property,” Ms Roper said.

“She accepts responsibility – she was pushing the trolley. She’s now entirely dissociated from that person.

“My client ultimately wants to return to work in the plastering industry. She hasn’t had a conviction recorded to date. A conviction in relation to a dishonesty offence would impact her ability to return to the workforce.”

Biggs was sentenced in Coolangatta Magistrates Court over the Kmart shoplifting. Photo: Scott Powick.

Magistrate Nerida Wilson warned Biggs that she had already committed a “significant” amount of offending for someone who was in their early 20s.

“I don’t know what you need to do in order to stop this but you do not want to be classified as a thief,” Magistrate Wilson said.
“You’ve had the benefit on six occasions of the court not recording convictions. I’m not going to record a conviction today, but I presume that is probably going to be the last time a court gives you that benefit.

“You get to make some choices from here. If you need help, maybe go to a doctor, see if you can get into a mental healthcare plan, try to get some counselling, try get some support.”

Biggs was handed a $550 fine which was referred to SPER.