Police were on patrol in the Westwood Road area of Broadstairs on Friday 24 May 2024 when they were made aware by security staff that clothing and other items to the value of around £92 had been loaded into a shopping trolley and removed from a business without payment.

Officers also located a car parked nearby which contained more clothing with price tags on, believed to be stolen. Enquiries into the recovered goods are ongoing.

Two women were arrested in connection with the reported thefts. One of the women has since been charged and the other has been bailed.

In a separate incident a man and a woman were observed by officers to be acting suspiciously in a shop and, when stopped by police, were found to have a bag of toiletries and clothing which they admitted had not been paid for.

The store was made aware of the incident and the items were returned. The pair have now been banned from the shop and the matter will be dealt with through a civil claim.

Uniformed and plain clothes officers from Thanet Community Safety Unit were working in retail districts as part of a shoplifting operation designed to deter and arrest thieves.

During the day, a further six people were stopped and spoken to following suspicious behaviour. Young people seen to be behaving in an anti-social manner were also spoken to by police about their behaviour.

Kent Police also worked with Thanet District Council and provided a hub so shoppers could find out more about the multi-agency work being carried out to keep people and businesses safe against crime.

Inspector Jim Woodward of Thanet Community Safety Unit said: ‘Retail crime can be so damaging to businesses and risks knock-on effects for shoppers and shop staff too.

This operation saw neighbourhood officers, which includes our task force made up of PCSOs and PCs as well as the beat officers and partner agencies, identifying potential offending and taking action to stop it.

Our message to any thieves considering stealing from shops in Thanet is clear: Our officers are not always in uniform, and you never know who might be watching you as you try to walk out without paying.