Folkestone Town Centre Image SCOPIX
A multi-agency operation in Folkestone has led to the arrest of four individuals on suspicion of various offences, including theft and assault. The crackdown, which took place on Friday, August 15, involved neighborhood police officers working alongside partners from Folkestone and Hythe District Council, including Trading Standards and Environmental Enforcement teams.
Using a combination of plainclothes and uniformed patrols, officers focused on identifying and apprehending suspects in the town centre. The operation resulted in several arrests and other actions:
- A woman was arrested for three theft offences and has since been charged and appeared in court.
- A man wanted for recent theft and assault allegations was located and arrested. He has since been charged.
- Another woman was arrested for failing to appear in court on a charge of anti-social behaviour in the town centre.
- A third woman was arrested on suspicion of theft and issued a Community Protection Warning. The warning bans her from approaching people at ATMs.
- A man received a community resolution order, which includes a ban from a shop after he was caught stealing alcohol.
In addition to the arrests, officers and council partners conducted inspections in local shops to ensure compliance with trading and environmental regulations. PC Lucy Hazelden, of the Folkestone Neighbourhood Task Force, said:
‘Officers already work closely with our local businesses and community partners and Friday was no exception. We identified and targeted our most persistent offenders and patrolled antisocial behaviour hotspot areas. In a short amount of time, a number of arrests were made, community resolutions issued, and officers also completed evidence capture, checked compliance with a number of retailers and provided crime prevention advice and reassurance. A number of identifications for investigations have also been achieved during the operation and intelligence gathered.’