Kent Shopkeeper Names and Shames Thieves After Police ‘Too Busy’ to Act
A defiant Kent shopkeeper is fighting back against local thieves by publicly exposing their faces in his shop window. The owner of the Londis in Coxheath, Maidstone, has taken matters into his own hands after police said they were too stretched to investigate multiple thefts.
Over 40 Thefts and Counting
The mum-and-pop store has faced more than 40 thefts in just a few months. The losses are mounting fast – sometimes wiping out half a day’s takings.
“Anybody who takes our goods without permission is a thief. They have no right to remove them,” said shop owner Sham Bains.
“The police won’t do anything if the losses are under £100, but for a shop like us that might be half a day’s takings. At one point, I thought we might have to start an award for ‘thief of the week’.”
Customers Back Brutal Anti-Theft Tactic
Customers love the shopkeeper’s bold move, saying it’s a brilliant deterrent to stop thieves in their tracks.
Despite one complaint claiming the tactic is unfair, Bains isn’t backing down. “I think it’s unfair that they’re targeting my business,” he said. Expect to see more faces plastered across that window if the pilfering continues.
