A prolific thief has been swiftly jailed after pleading guilty to multiple thefts and breaching a criminal behaviour order in Gravesend. On Monday 22 January 2024, Nrender Biriah tried to steal bottles of spirits worth more than £140 from Asda in Thames Way. He stole groceries and other items valued at around £220 from Iceland in Overcliffe, over the following two days.

On Wednesday 24 January, officers tracked down Biriah and he was arrested and taken into custody. The 48-year-old, of no fixed address, was later charged by investigators from the North Kent Victim Based Crime Team with three thefts and five breaches of a criminal behaviour order. Biriah denied the charges at his first appearance before Medway Magistrates’ Court on Friday 26 January and was remanded in custody. He then changed his plea to guilty to all the counts at a subsequent hearing at the same court on Friday 2 February. Nrender was immediately jailed for 42 weeks.

Detective Sergeant Chris Ellingham said: ‘This prolific thief has shown a complete disregard for the criminal justice system by breaching a criminal behaviour order imposed on him by the courts multiple times.

‘He persistently targets businesses in Gravesend and local officers respond quickly to reports from shop workers when he has committed crimes in the town. Should he continue to offend when he is eventually released from prison, it will only be a matter of time before he is back behind bars.’