Knife-wielding thug jailed for terrifying £100 shop robbery in Maidstone village
A young armed robber who threatened a pensioner with an eight-inch knife during a smash-and-grab at a Maidstone village shop has been slammed behind bars.
Knife-brandishing crook targets pensioner
Jack Reader, 20, of Terrace Road, Maidstone, struck on 21 January 2019 at the Chart Sutton store. The victim, a woman in her 60s, was working alone at 4.50pm when Reader burst in, waving a large knife and demanding cash from the till.
He fled with around £100 after terrifying the woman with his deadly weapon.
Fast police work cracks case wide open
Reader was rapidly identified as the culprit. Investigators uncovered CCTV footage linking him to the crime, showing his distinctive jacket, trousers, tattoos, and a mole beneath his ear. He had used a silver Mercedes as his getaway car.
He was arrested just days later on 13 January, still wearing the same clothes seen on camera.
Justice served at Maidstone Crown Court
Reader admitted robbery and carrying a knife in public. On 14 March, he was sentenced to four years and three months for the robbery, plus 18 months for knife possession, to run concurrently.
Detective Constable David Evans said: “Reader subjected his victim to a truly terrifying ordeal. She was no doubt left fearing for her life after he terrorised her with a large knife and forced her to open the till.”
“Thankfully, we were able to promptly identify and arrest him, ensuring he could pose no further threat to people in the local community. The courts have passed a significant sentence and I hope at the very least that it will provide the victim with reassurance that justice has now been served.”
