A persistent shoplifter who threatened a supermarket employee during a theft has been jailed, marking another victory for Swale investigators in their ongoing fight against retail crime.
The perpetrator aged 51, of no fixed address, received the sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of theft, a public order offence, and possession of a Class B drug. He was also ordered to pay full compensation to Morrisons.
The incidents occurred on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, when the man first entered the Morrisons in Milton Regis High Street and made off with nearly £50 worth of cleaning products. Later the same day, he returned to the store, once again targeting laundry items. When a vigilant shop worker attempted to intervene, Clarke threatened them before fleeing with approximately £45 worth of goods.
Alerted to the thefts, officers reviewed the store’s CCTV footage and quickly identified Clarke. He was apprehended on Monday, June 2, in East Street, Sittingbourne, where officers also found cannabis in his possession.
Clarke appeared before Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, June 4, where he entered a guilty plea at his first appearance and was immediately sentenced to 180 days in prison.
Investigating officer, PC Dan Quinn, said:
‘Thieves who threaten or assault shop staff become a priority for us and we will always seek to bring them to justice at the earliest opportunity.
‘Clarke is now off the street for several weeks and local shopkeepers will certainly feel safer in his absence. Local officers know what he looks like and will be quick to act if he offends again, when next released from prison.’