A charity shop thief was arrested, charged and sentenced to jail less than 48 hours after stealing from a shop in Maidstone.
The break in was reported to Kent Police on Wednesday morning, 4 February 2026. Officers visited the store on the High Street and carried out a prompt CCTV review where they were able to quickly identify a suspect.
The offender hid in the shop as it closed the previous evening, Tuesday 3 February 2026, before stealing more than £500 from the safe. Working with intelligence units and partner agencies, officers went to an address in Maidstone where they arrested Danny Crawley on suspicion of burglary – less than three hours after the crime report was made. The 44 year old was also arrested for breaching a restraining order as he was banned from the address he was found in.
Crawley, from Abbey Wood in London, was charged later that day and appeared in Medway Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 5 February, where he pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 35 weeks in prison and ordered to pay £500 compensation.
Inspector Steve Kent from the Maidstone Community Safety Unit said:
‘Officers utilised their strong local knowledge to quickly identify and arrest Crawley. This type of crime has a real impact, not just on the businesses affected but on the wider community. Incidents like this show just how important beat officers are. They have a wealth of knowledge of their patch and are there to protect residents and businesses as well as taking action against offenders.’