Two individuals, Jamie Hopkins and Adam Roberts, have been sentenced to 10 months in jail after being found guilty of stealing goods from businesses in Dartford and North Kent.
The case dates back to October 2023 when both Hopkins and Roberts were subject to criminal behaviour orders, prohibiting them from entering various retail outlets, including any Co-op store.
On October 19 of the same year, Hopkins, a resident of Browning Road in Dartford, attempted to steal boxes of cigarettes from behind the counter at the Co-op located in Talbot Lane, Swanscombe. However, his efforts were thwarted when a vigilant shop worker intervened, prompting Hopkins to flee the scene.
Undeterred, just three days later, Hopkins and Roberts engaged in a coordinated theft, stealing a quantity of meat and laundry products from the same Co-op store.
The criminal spree continued on October 27 when Roberts, aged 36 and with no fixed address, pilfered two bottles of spirits from behind the counter at the Co-op in Oldfield Place, Dartford.
Their illicit activities finally caught up with them on the following day when both men were apprehended by law enforcement after being spotted entering the Co-op store in Castle Hill.
Following their arrest, Hopkins and Roberts were charged by investigators from the North Kent Victim Based Crime Team with one count of theft each, along with three breaches of their criminal behaviour orders. Additionally, Roberts faced an additional charge of burglary at the Co-op in Oldfield Place, Dartford, while Hopkins was charged with burglary at the Co-op in Talbot Lane, Swanscombe.
Both individuals pleaded guilty at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Monday, October 30, and were remanded in custody pending further legal proceedings.
On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at Maidstone Crown Court, Hopkins and Roberts received their sentencing, each being handed a 10-month jail term.
In response to the case, Police Sergeant Dan Horsley condemned the actions of the perpetrators, highlighting their disregard for the law and the impact of their crimes on businesses and consumers alike. He emphasized that criminal behaviour orders are meant to provide offenders with an opportunity to reform, and failure to do so may result in severe consequences, such as imprisonment.
