A Sittingbourne shoplifter has been jailed within two days of her arrest

Between 5 November and 19 November 2023, Rebecca Lee targeted three stores in the town centre on five separate occasions. Meat, cleaning items and laundry products were stolen from Morrisons in the High Street, Lidl in West Street and Asda in Mill Way. At the latter, Lee assaulted a member of staff as she sought to leave the premises without paying.

On Wednesday 29 November, Lee, of no fixed address, was tracked down and arrested. She was later charged by investigators from the Swale Victim Based Crime Team with five counts of theft, common assault and a public order offence. The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to all the indictments at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Friday 1 December. She was immediately sentenced to 120 days’ imprisonment.

Inspector Vanessa Foster, of the Sittingbourne Community Safety Unit, said: ‘We are determined to target criminals who persistently steal from our local shops and bring them before the courts at the earliest opportunity.

‘In this case, a prolific thief was swiftly charged and had no choice but to plead guilty at their first hearing due to the overwhelming evidence against her. Any others intent on committing retail crime in Swale can expect a similar result.’