Shoplifter Banned from All Major Kent Supermarkets
Stephen Ewens from Oak View, Edenbridge, has been slapped with a tough Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). He’s banned from entering any Waitrose, Aldi, Asda, Co-Op, or Lidl stores across Kent, plus Sainsbury’s outlets in Tonbridge and Dartford.
Spree Spreads Beyond Edenbridge
Ewens was initially banned from shops in Edenbridge after multiple theft prosecutions between September 2020 and January 2022. But instead of stopping, he shifted his shoplifting spree to nearby towns like Tonbridge and Dartford.
His original five-year CBO couldn’t keep him out, so authorities applied for a county-wide ban to stop the trouble spreading.
Justice Served: Suspended Jail and Community Service
The 37-year-old pleaded guilty at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on 3 October 2023 to two fresh theft charges. On 5 February 2024, he was hit with a four-month jail sentence, suspended for one year, plus 150 hours of unpaid work.
Police Crackdown and Community Impact
PC Jules Edwards, investigating officer, said: “Shoplifting doesn’t just hurt businesses – it hits the whole community. Costs of essentials go up as shops try to cover losses.”
“Kent Police takes all shoplifting seriously and urges the public to report offences. We want local traders to know we’re actively clamping down and protecting their livelihoods.”
