Children raid newsagents to loot chocolate and sweets before running off

The owner of a newsagents that was looted four times in a single week says brazen shoplifting is ‘worse than ever’.

Krish Hinglajia says the Premier shop in Delce Road, Rochester, has been targeted several times, resulting in the loss of hundreds of pounds.

The 38-year-old says the first incident happened when a man entered the shop on July 17 and stole approximately £30 worth of household cleaning supplies.

Video footages shows the brazen thief emptying shelves and stuffing items into his backpack before shoving more into his trouser pockets.

According to CCTV inside, the incident took place at around 3pm when Krish’s dad had been manning the till.

The following thefts have involved a group of children, not believed to be local, entering and stealing chocolate, sweets and ice creams before running out of the shop on July 18 at around 1.30pm.

When confronted, they resorted to racially abusing staff, Krish claims.

He said: ‘The next day [Sunday, July 19], the same thing happened. It was around 11.30am when the same kids came in and took them again.

‘It’s not fair on us – at the moment, it’s summer, so ice creams are popular. Our basic principle is to sell them and create a profit. We have lost more than £150 to £200 worth of goods in the last week, particularly on frozen foods, which are really expensive.

‘That has a deep impact on my business because we are a small family-run shop. At the end of the day, if tills are getting low, how are we going to pay our bills?’

The incident on Saturday, which has also been captured on CCTV, has been reported to police.
Since then, the owner says his shop was targeted by the children again who took sweet treats in a fourth incident on Tuesday (July 21). This has also been reported.

Krish says it comes after a recent spike in shoplifting incidents, particularly over the last few months.
According to police statistics, over the last year, between June 2025 and May 2026, there have been 128 crimes relating to this offence reported in the area.

Speaking on whether he has taken any measures to prevent shoplifting, he said: ‘There’s no point. If you put locks and counters on, they’re going to nick those locks as well.

‘We just feel there is nothing we can do.’

Krish has also expressed frustration over what he perceives to be a lack of help from police.

Despite reporting the recent incidents twice, he says officers did not attend, and instead he was given a crime reference number and told to put details into an online portal for an investigation to take place.

He added: ‘I did everything from my side – all the formalities, and the cops are doing nothing. We don’t need them to patrol everywhere – we know that takes their time and people – but at least respond to our request.

‘We are just losing faith. Why are we paying council tax that goes towards funding the police if we are not receiving their service? Why should I suffer? Why should I lose?’

When approached for comment, a spokesperson for Kent Police confirmed it is investigating reports that a group of children has committed multiple thefts at a shop in Delce Road, Rochester between Friday, July 17 and Tuesday, July 21.

Inspector Paul Relf said: ‘When the business owner reported the incidents, he was requested to submit relevant CCTV footage via an online portal to assist identifying the suspects.

‘Officers have since visited the store, spoken to the victim and enquiries are underway in the local area. We are determined to tackle retail crime in Medway and will pursue all available lines of enquiry to track down offenders and bring them to justice.’