SUPERMARKET cashier She-Ra Batey stole more than £3,400 over a year to pay for a £2,200 holiday to Mexico.
She was caught by marked notes placed in tills by security staff at the Morrisons store in the Meteor Centre, Derby.
An investigation into the theft claimed Batey stole as much as £7,000 but she pleaded guilty to taking £3,465.
The 26-year-old cried at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court as she was handed an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Peter Bettany, prosecuting, told the hearing: "She said it had gone on for so long she could not account for how much had gone.
"Security staff placed marked notes in the till and watched her on CCTV as she cashed up.
"Footage showed her turn her back on the CCTV camera and move something from the counter where the money was. She was then followed as she left the store, went to her car and returned back to the shop where she was confronted.
"In her car was found £820 and there was exactly £820 missing from the till receipts."
Mr Bettany said a police investigation showed she had been to a travel agents and spent £2,200 on a holiday in Mexico and another £1,500 on foreign currency.
Examination of her bank account also revealed that sums of cash, ranging from £125 to £900 had been deposited on six occasions.
Mr Bettany said: "The total cash amount that could not be accounted for was £6,958.98, although the defendant admitted to taking £3,400.
"She said she took the cash out of necessity, she had become dependant on the money. Suspicion fell on her because of her odd behaviour after the store realised that large sums of money were missing."
Batey, of Peter Street, Ashbourne, admitted three counts of theft.
Mark Salt, mitigating, said his client had since been sacked and was now earning £270 per week as an agency worker.
He said: "The money was not for a lavish lifestyle and she is a young lady who has stable accommodation with her partner who supports her.
"Her motivation for this was entirely financial because she got herself in so much debt. She accepts her financial management has been appalling."
Magistrate Jacqui Simpson, chairman of the bench, also ordered Batey to undertake 250 hours' unpaid work and pay £3,400 compensation to Morrisons.
She said: "This was a serious offence committed in breach of trust over a long period. Suspicion was put on a number of fellow employees because of your actions."
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