A thief has been locked up after stealing hundreds of pounds of items from shops across the Towns.

Roman Balog, 23, admitted five counts of shoplifting when he appeared before magistrates in Medway.

The court heard how Balog, of Otway Street, Chatham, took £80 of perfume from a shop at the Dockside Outlet Centre, in Chatham Maritime.

He then went to a shop in the Pentagon Shopping Centre, in Chatham, on two occasions and stole more perfume, one valued at £95.95 and other at £80.91.

Magistrates were also told he stole £89.98 of coats from a shop in High Street, Gillingham, and then returned several days later and stole £179.96 of coats from inside.

Balog was jailed for 120 days and ordered to pay £526 in compensation and £85 costs.

A shoplifter who resisted arrest and failed to surrender to custody on two occasions has narrowly avoided jail.

Teenager, Matej Slepcik, admitted shoplifting, resisting arrested and two counts of failing to surrender to custody.

The court heard, how Slepcik, 18, of Salisbury Road, Chatham, failed to show up for bail at Medway Police Station and then failed show up at court on another occasion.

He also stole washing powder and baby milk valued at £41.76 from a shop in Southill Road, Chatham, and then resisted arrest in Chatham several days later.

Magistrates jailed Slepcik for 60 days but suspended the term for 12 months.

He was also ordered to pay £41 compensation.

A woman has narrowly avoided jail after pleading guilty to vehicle interference and going equipped for theft.

Sade Knight, 26, admitted the offences when she appeared before magistrates in Medway.

The court heard how Knight, of Fort Pitt Street, Chatham, had foil lined bags in her possession Bluewater Shopping Centre, in Greenhithe.

Magistrates also heard she interfered with a Honda Civic in Hill Road, Rochester, intending to either steal it or items from inside.

Knight was jailed for 12 weeks, but the term was suspended for 12 months.

A motorist has been ordered to carry out unpaid work after getting behind the wheel more than three times the legal limit.

Dariusz Pisarek, 40, admitted drink-driving when he appeared before magistrates in Medway.

The court heard how Pisarek, of Stoke Road, Hoo, was caught driving a Vauxhall Vectra in Stoke Road, while over the limit.

When given a breath test he gave a reading of 114 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 milliliters of breath, the legal limit is 35.

Magistrates banned Pisarek from driving for 24 months, ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and placed him under curfew for 30 days.

Pisarek was also ordered to pay £85 costs.

A burglar who broke into a scrap yard has narrowly avoided jail.

Christopher Head, 21, pleaded guilty to burglary when he appeared before magistrates in Medway.

The court heard how Head, of Curzon Road, Chatham, broke into a scrap yard in Knight Road, Strood.

Magistrates jailed Head for 60 days but suspended the term for 12 months.

He was also placed under curfew for 60 days and ordered to pay £85 costs.

A fence who handled thousands of pounds worth of stole camera equipment has been given a suspended sentence.

Matthew Duggan, 37, pleaded guilty to handling stole goods when he appeared before magistrates in Medway.

The court heard how Duggan, of Boundary Road, Chatham, handled the stolen camera equipment worth £6,000 and also failed to attend an assessment to determine if he was dependant on drugs.

Magistrates jailed Duggan for 80 days but suspended the term for 18 months.

He was also placed under curfew for two months and ordered to pay £100 compensation and £85 costs.

A thief has been jailed after admitting a string of offences.

Mark Hewitt, 41, admitted four counts of shoplifting and one of refusing to provide a sample for a drugs test when he appeared before magistrates in Medway.

The court heard how Hewitt, stole £100 of cosmetics from a shop in High Street, Gillingham, and three bottles of whisky valued at £75 from a supermarket in Bridge Road, Sheerness and returned to the same shop and took another three bottles again, valued at £75 from inside.

Magistrates were also told he returned a few days later and took four bottles of whisky valued at £100 from the same supermarket and the next day failed to provide a sample for a drug test.

Hewitt was jailed for 300 days and ordered to pay £285 compensation.

A prolific shoplifter has been locked up after stealing from shops across the county.

Andrew Coffield, 32, admitted eight counts of shoplifting when he appeared before magistrates in Medway.

The court heard how Coffield, of no fixed address took £110 of meat from the Co-op store in Maritime Way, Chatham Maritime.

He also stole various other items from shops in Gadby Road, Sittingbourne, The Street, Upchurch and returned to the Co-op on another occasion and stole £70 of household items from inside.

Magistrates were also told Coffield stole £200 of fragrances from a shop in High Street, Sittingbourne and £66.60 of food and drink from another shop in Gillingham Road, Gillingham.

The bench also heard he stole £100 of meat from a shop High Street, Snodland, and £120 of meat from another supermarket in Canterbury Road, Sittingbourne.

Magistrates jailed Coffield for 16 weeks.