Shoplifter Caught After Hurting Staff and Spitting on Police in Canterbury
Repeat Offender Nabbed Over £1,900 Booze Heist
Connor Jones, 24, of Shelley Avenue, Canterbury, has been locked up for 360 days following a spree of supermarket thefts across the city. The Folkestone Magistrates’ Court handed down the sentence on 20 January 2022 after a thorough investigation by Canterbury’s Victim Based Crime Team.
Jones targeted expensive bottles of spirits, stealing over £1,900 worth of alcohol between 29 December 2021 and 9 January 2022. His crimes didn’t stop there – during one theft outside a supermarket on Sturry Road, he threw stolen bottles at a staff member, injuring the man’s foot.
Violent Encounter with Police After Arrest
Jones was arrested on 18 January but showed no respect for the law. In a shocking display, he spat in the face of the arresting officer. Once in custody at Canterbury Police Station, he spat at another officer and even urinated on his cell door.
Multiple Charges Lead to Jail Time
Alongside admitting to 13 counts of shoplifting, Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting emergency workers, one count of assault, and one count of criminal damage.
PC AnnMarie Lucas, lead investigator, said: “Kent Police will go after and bring to justice shoplifters whose crimes have a big impact on local businesses.”
“I’m pleased that the number of offences we uncovered has removed this repeat offender from the streets of Canterbury,” she added.
“No police officer should have to endure being treated the way Jones behaved towards those who arrested him. The court has recognised the seriousness of his actions, and I hope the message is clear: assault police officers and you will go to jail.”
