Boozy Bandit Nabbed After Double Theft Spree at Marks & Spencer!
Spirit Snatcher Strikes Twice in Tunbridge Wells
Christopher Armour, 46, made two trips from his home in Lewisham to Tunbridge Wells town centre to nick booze from Marks & Spencer. On 15 February and 17 March 2022, he swiped bottles of whisky, hiding them inside his jacket and walking out without paying.
Quick Police Action Leads to Arrest
After the second heist, Tunbridge Wells Community Policing Team sprang into action, tracking Armour down in nearby Calverley Grounds. Officers recovered three stolen whisky bottles and promptly arrested him.
Jail Time for Repeat Offender
Armour was hit with two theft charges and appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on 18 March. Already breaking a suspended sentence, he pleaded guilty and was slapped with 173 days behind bars—almost six months in prison.
Sergeant Ed Kavanagh said: “Criminals like Christopher Armour travel to areas across Kent and the South East with the sole intention of committing shoplifting and other theft offences. Shoplifting is never a victimless crime and it can have a drastic effect on businesses, which is why we use plain clothes officers as part of our ongoing efforts to prevent and catch thieves who target our towns.”
Fighting Shoplifting with Shop Safe Scheme
Kent Police are teaming up with retailers through the Shop Safe scheme. This initiative uses radios to help shops communicate and alert police, making it tougher for thieves to get away with it.
