A man has been charged with a string of offences, including multiple thefts and assaults, after a spate of shoplifting incidents in Gravesend earlier this month.
Between Monday 7 April and Tuesday 8 April 2025, several shops in the town reported thefts involving meat, cheese and alcohol totalling nearly £220. During one attempted theft, two members of staff were allegedly assaulted while trying to intervene—one victim’s glasses were damaged in the altercation.
Kent Police received a further report on Wednesday 9 April, when a shop worker was reportedly threatened as lamb worth £130 was being stolen from another store. Officers responded swiftly and arrested a suspect at the scene.
While being taken into custody, the man is accused of assaulting a police officer and spitting on a police vehicle.
Charges and Court Proceedings
Satnam Awjala, aged 38, of Beresford Road, Gravesend, has been charged with the following:
- Four counts of theft
- Three counts of assault
- One count of assaulting an emergency worker
- Two counts of criminal damage
Mr Awjala was remanded in custody and appeared before Medway Magistrates’ Court on Friday 11 April. He has since been conditionally bailed and is next due to appear at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 28 May.
A spokesperson for Kent Police said:
“Shopworkers and emergency services should never be subjected to violence or threats in the course of their duties. We are committed to taking swift and robust action against those who commit such offences.”
Investigations remain ongoing as officers continue to review CCTV and gather witness statements from the affected businesses.
