A Maidstone woman has been remanded in custody after a string of alleged shoplifting offences across Medway and Maidstone led to her arrest and subsequent court appearance.
The investigation began on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, when Kent Police responded to reports of three separate thefts at a petrol station located on Maidstone Road in Chatham. Officers arriving at the scene located and arrested a suspect in the immediate vicinity. As investigators delved deeper into the case, they linked the suspect to two additional thefts at the same petrol station from the previous day.
The scope of the investigation soon expanded to include a series of similar incidents that occurred throughout the preceding week. These alleged thefts took place at various retail hubs, including Strood Retail Park, The Mall in Maidstone, and a business on Medway Street in Chatham. Police reports indicate that during one of these encounters, the suspect allegedly became aggressive toward a member of the store staff.
A woman aged 36 from Maidstone, now faces 13 counts of theft and one count of common assault.
During a hearing at Medway Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 23, the accused denied all allegations brought against her. She has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear next at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on Friday, May 1.