Violent shoplifter threatened security guard with knife and 'terrorised members of the public'

A violent shoplifter who threatened a supermarket security guard with a knife in Maidstone, before terrorising members of the public, has been jailed for six years.

Michael Dunn, 50, of no fixed address, stole alcohol from a Morrison's store.

He crashed as he left the car park there before fleeing on foot, brandishing a knife at several members of the public.

The court heard during the evening of 12 July 2023, Dunn drove a car to Morrisons in Sutton Road and left the vehicle in a disabled parking bay, before entering the store.

He loaded a shopping basket with bottles of spirits and walked through the entry barriers without making any attempt to pay.

A security guard intervened and was threatened by Dunn with a knife, who then returned to his car with the stolen items.

As Dunn drove away he hit another car, completely writing off his vehicle. He then fled on foot brandishing the knife in surrounding streets at several members of the public.

He tried to steal a vehicle being used by a delivery driver and held the knife to the victim’s throat.  He was unable to drive away, as the keys had snapped in the ignition after the victim tried to remove them, and again ran from the scene.

Officers had by then located Dunn’s car, which still contained the stolen alcohol, security tags and shopping basket.

They tracked him down to a residential garden near Bell Road where Dunn had been making threats to the occupant, demanding they let him in. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Dunn was sentenced on Wednesday 13 September to a total of six years and four months’ imprisonment.

Detective Constable Megan Collins, of the Kent Crime Squad, said: "Dunn is a violent offender who thought nothing of threatening a security guard and terrorising other members of the public.

"His actions left a community in real fear and were only halted when patrols located him following several calls from alarmed residents.

"We remain determined to protect businesses in Maidstone from criminals like Dunn and the town is a safer place now he is serving a lengthy prison sentence."

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