Sittingbourne

Police have released a computerised image of a man they are keen to speak with in relation to a sexual assault in the Sittingbourne area.

The incident occurred in Meeres Court Lane on the Great East Hall Estate at around 6.15pm on Friday 14th June, when a 42-year-old woman was walking her dog and noticed a man walking past her. It is then reported that as she walked a little furthershe was pushed to the ground and sexually assaulted.

Despite strong winds, and a forecast of rain that didn't materialise, a great time was had by all at this year's Sittingbourne Carnival on Saturday (22nd June).

The 106.9 SFM Roadshow (in association with Green Cabs) was on hand to entertain the crowds in the High Street from 10am and live acts appearing included local bands Motto, Standing Ovation, Complicated, Stage 3 and the Inca band along with performances from flautist Jenny Cazelly and Sammies Dance.

Police have released a CCTV image of a woman they would like to speak to in connection with a bulk theft from the Dunelm Mill store on the Sittingbourne Retail Park.

The images were taken at around midday on Monday 17th June when over £500 of bedding was stolen from the store. Officers are not ruling out the possibility the theft is connected to a similar incident at around 10.30am the same day, when over £500 worth of bedding was stolen from the Dunelm store on London Road in Maidstone.

Detectives investigating a reported robbery in Sittingbourne have released an e-fit of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the incident.

Pictured left to right: Kevin Hawkins (Regional Commercial Director, Arriva Southern Counties), Councillor John Wright (Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Swale Borough Council) and Tom Pierpoint (Public Transport Team Leader, Kent County Council).

Local bus operator Arriva has invested almost half a million pounds in four brand-new buses for its services in the Sittingbourne and Faversham areas.

Kent Police are warning bird keepers to remain vigilant after thefts from aviaries on Sheppey and Newington during the past week.

Officers were called to Well Road in Rushenden last Thursday (9th May) after it was reported that 19 birds were missing from an aviary at the rear of the property. The alleged theft of 14 mixed colour canaries, 4 red and gold rosella parakeets and a white cockatiel is believed to have taken place between 8pm on 8th May and 4.45am the following day.

A Sheppey teen has been jailed for 13 months for eight burglaries of Sittingbourne properties.

Bill Willett, 19, of Queensway, Sheerness, admitted eight counts of burglary for stealing copper from a number of flats on Attlee Way in Sittingbourne.

Willett, who was 18 when he committed the offences between 15th-18th May 2012, ripped copper water tanks and piping out of the walls of the properties, which were unoccupied at the time of burglaries, in Wyllie Court.

He was jailed for the offences at Maidstone Crown Court on 12th April.

Three men have been jailed for their part in an attempted burglary at a shop in Sittingbourne in the early hours of last Thursday (18th April) morning.

Kent Police were called at 2.40am to reports of a burglary in progress at the rear of the CEX store in The Forum Shopping Centre. The offenders were tracked on CCTV and police arrested three men in the High Street.

A 28-year-old man is set to face magistrates next month after having been charged for a robbery that was reported nearly three years ago.

Kent Police were called on Sunday 4th July 2010 to reports of a robbery on Park Road in Sittingbourne. The victim was believed to have been threatened with an extendable baton unless he handed over his wallet.

Matthew Coward of Berners Street in Norwich was arrested on 12th November last year and has been charged with robbery.

He is due to appear at Maidstone Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 29th May.

After its recent announcement that its full-year pre-tax profit had more than halved - the worst performance in the company's history following £2.4bn of writedowns following its decision to exit the US and its UK-driven profit warning last year - Tesco has confirmed that it is to cancel its proposed 100 store expansion across the UK including the new Tesco Extra development for Milton Creek here in Sittingbourne.