Till Trick, Street Robbery, Stinger Chase: Three Kent Police Cases This Week in West Kent

Three unconnected Kent Police cases moved forward this week across West Kent: a CCTV appeal after two men tricked a Waitrose cashier out of cash, an arrest over a daylight robbery that left a vulnerable man hospitalised, and a car chase that ended with a stinger on the A228. None of the three is linked to the others - but all three are live appeals or ongoing investigations as of today.

Just after 1.30pm on Sunday 25 October, two men went into Waitrose on Castle Road, Allington, and bought a single item. One of them told the cashier they'd been given the wrong currency in change, and when the till was reopened to check, he allegedly grabbed a quantity of cash before both men left on foot. Kent Police has released CCTV images of the two men and is asking anyone who recognises them to call the west Kent appeals line on 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/178353/26. Source: Kent Police

The other Maidstone case is older but has just moved: on the evening of Friday 2 October, three people approached a vulnerable man on Victoria Street, and a man and a woman among them assaulted him, knocked him to the ground and allegedly stole his wallet before the group ran off towards London Road. The victim was taken to hospital by ambulance. A 36-year-old woman, of no fixed address, has now been arrested on suspicion of robbery and released on bail while enquiries continue. Anyone with information, including private CCTV or dashcam footage from the area that evening, is asked to call 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/163604/26. Source: Kent Police

The Tonbridge & Malling case started at 1.12am on Thursday 29 October, when a 4x4 was reported stolen from a driveway in Old Road, East Peckham. Officers spotted a second vehicle linked to the theft, a silver MG HS, and a pursuit began after it failed to stop - driving the wrong way down the A228 at speed before a stinger brought it to a halt near Seven Mile Lane. A 20-year-old man from Bromley was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving and failing to stop, and has since been bailed pending further enquiries; the MG was seized, as it's believed to be linked to an earlier theft in London. Separately, other patrols tracked down the stolen 4x4 itself near Hadlow and recovered it before 3am. Anyone with information, or with private CCTV or dashcam footage from the area that night, is asked to call the same west Kent appeals line, quoting reference 46/178841/26. Source: Kent Police

All three remain under investigation, and in both the Waitrose and Victoria Street cases nobody has yet been charged - the man from Bromley, like the woman arrested over the Victoria Street robbery, has been released on bail rather than charged. Anyone with information on any of the three can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.