The city’s Victim Based Crime Team investigated a series of thefts which had taken place between Monday 21 August and Sunday 3 September 2023.

Enquiries led to Connor Jones being identified as a suspect and he was arrested on Tuesday 5 September.

The following day, the 25-year-old, of Shelley Avenue, was charged with assault, theft of a bicycle and seven counts of theft from shops.

He admitted all nine charges at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 6 September and was jailed for 240 days.

The charges relate to the theft of clothing, power tools and laundry products from shops around Canterbury, and the theft of a bicycle in North Holmes Road on Friday 14 April.

During one of the shoplifting offences, he assaulted a security guard who attempted to stop him from leaving a store.

Joanne Jones, 47, of Hudson Road, was jailed for two months for taking part in one of the shoplifting offences on Thursday 31 August.

Canterbury Chief Inspector Dan Carter said: ‘We understand the impact shoplifting has on local businesses and we work hard to bring to justice repeat offenders like Connor Jones.

The speed and quality of this investigation led to Jones being jailed within three days of his final offence and I am pleased he is now off the streets and unable to trouble stores and their staff.