Three thieves who repeatedly stole from various shops in Kent have been banned from entering certain premises by court orders.
The orders aim to deter them from further offending and protect the businesses from losses.
A man aged 41, from Gillingham, was given a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) on 27 July at Medway Magistrates’ Court. He was also sentenced to 18 weeks in prison for theft. He is not allowed to enter any Co-Op, Sainsburys or Tesco stores in the county.
A 52-year-old man, also of Gillingham, was handed a three-year CBO on 4 August after he was fined and ordered to pay £120 compensation for his shoplifting offences. He is prohibited from entering any shop owned by or managed by Lidl, Co-Op, Aldi, Sainsbury’s or Poundland in Medway. He is also barred from the Dockside Retail Outlet in Chatham.
A woman aged 41, from Strood, received a three-year CBO and a 12-week suspended sentence on the same day. She was also ordered to pay £50 compensation. She is forbidden from entering any Asda, Wilko, Tesco or B&M stores in Kent.
Inspector Sasha Blomfield of Medway’s Community Safety Unit said: ‘These CBOs are designed to ensure that those who persistently offend face consequences for their actions. Shoplifting is not a victimless crime and we will not tolerate it. We worked with our partners, including the Safer Medway Partnership, to secure these CBOs and I hope they send a clear message to others who may be tempted to commit similar crimes.’