Notorious Thief Gets 8 Years for £10k Perfume Heist and Burglary Spree
Gary Parks, 35, has been slammed with an eight-year prison sentence after a string of daring burglaries and thefts across Kent. The Welling resident raked in over £10,000 worth of stolen perfume and broke into homes and shops, leaving victims and businesses reeling.
Burglar Boots, Steals Cars, and Raids Shops
- On April 3, Parks and his crew nabbed car keys from a Wilmington home before stealing an Audi and a Mercedes.
- Just days later, on April 12, they hit a Boots in Sevenoaks, stuffing rucksacks with £6,400 of perfume.
- Their brazen spree continued on June 4, with a smash-and-grab raid on a Savers store in Dartford, stealing £3,300 worth of fragrances after crashing a Land Rover through the doors.
Caught and Convicted: Killer Police Work Shuts Down Crime Spree
Police tracked Parks down to Plumstead on June 18. Last month, he admitted to multiple offences including house and shop burglaries, car thefts, and handling stolen goods.
“Parks is a prolific offender who struck fear into residents by stealing car keys from their homes at night,” said Detective Constable Emma Laimbeer. “He showed zero regard for the financial damage to businesses and the distress caused to families. This gang caused havoc, forcing entry and damaging shop doors that cost a fortune to repair.”
Local Communities Breathe Easier as Parks Walks Behind Bars
Thanks to the Kent Crime Squad’s relentless efforts, a dangerous repeat offender is off the streets. DC Laimbeer added:
“North Kent is a safer place with Parks behind bars. Residents and businesses can finally feel secure knowing this thief’s reign of terror is over.”
