A prolific Medway shoplifter has received swift justice within 48 hours of being arrested.
Between Saturday 9 September and Monday 2 October 2023, Kent Police received multiple reports of thefts from shops in Rochester, Holborough and Strood.
Items targeted at Wilkinsons, Tesco and Co-op premises included laundry products, foodstuffs and alcohol valued at more than £800. Investigators from the Medway Victim Based Crime Team identified Nathan Aldous as the person responsible for the thefts and on Wednesday 4 October, he was tracked down and arrested.
Aldous, of no fixed address, was later charged with 11 counts of theft and one attempted theft. He was also charged with assaulting a shop employee and breaching his criminal behaviour order on six occasions. The 36-year-old appeared before Medway Magistrates’ Court on Friday 6 October where he pleaded guilty to all the indictments.
Aldous was immediately jailed for 42 weeks.
Investigating officer, PC Emily Groves, said: ‘Aldous was already subject to a criminal behaviour order when he committed these offences, which shows his complete contempt for the law. Neither did he care about the impact his actions would have on the ability of businesses to operate profitably. This type of criminality ultimately causes price rises for honest customers and it is right that he is now serving a prison sentence.’