A prolific thief who targeted multiple businesses across Canterbury and Whitstable has been issued a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) following a violent campaign of shoplifting.
Shannon Rossiter received the order at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on April 2, 2026, after pleading guilty to five counts of theft committed over a two-month period in late 2025.
The string of offences escalated in October 2025 when Rossiter entered the Co-op in Sturry and attempted to leave with a basket full of cleaning supplies and alcohol. When staff closed the doors to prevent her escape, she turned violent, assaulting two employees before fleeing the scene with £88 worth of goods. This incident followed several smaller thefts, including the stealing of sandwiches from a Tesco in September and back-to-back raids on a Whitstable Co-op in early November.
Rossiter’s spree ended on November 16, 2025, after she stole gift sets valued at £222 from a Boots store in Canterbury. Police tracked her to a nearby Waitrose car park, where they recovered the stolen items and arrested her. Subsequent investigations linked her to the wider pattern of offending across the region, leading to her initial guilty plea at Margate Magistrates’ Court.
Under the strict conditions of her new CBO, Rossiter is now legally prohibited from entering any shop owned or managed by Co-operative Retail Services Ltd within the county of Kent for the next two years. Additionally, the order forbids her from entering any retail premises while in the company of several specifically named associates.
Canterbury Inspector Daniel Fordom said:
‘Whilst Rossiter did not receive a custodial sentence, the detailed accounts provided by staff and the evidence gathered by officers were crucial in securing this long-term CBO.
‘It sends a clear message that sustained and violent shoplifting will not be tolerated, and we will continue to work closely with retailers and the court system to secure more orders like this one.’