The incident is understood to have followed a nearby party, with as many as 100 young people reportedly gathered outside the shop at one point.
The teenage mob descended and stole large quantities of alcohol (Image: Cover Media)
A shopkeeper was left feeling “helpless and hopeless” after roughly 30 teenagers allegedly stormed his convenience store and cleared fridges of alcohol in a brazen mass theft caught on CCTV. Footage shows dozens of youngsters pouring into the Premier Store in St Stephen’s Road, Canterbury, with many grabbing beer and wine before walking straight out without paying.
Some had their faces covered, while others were seen carrying several bottles as Mark Thaya, who was working alone, struggled to deal with the sudden influx. The incident is understood to have followed a nearby party, with as many as 100 young people reportedly gathered outside the shop at one point.
The family believe roughly £200 worth of stock was stolen (Image: Cover Media)
Mr Thaya managed to recover three bottles of wine from one boy, but CCTV footage showed him unable to stop the large group as they moved through the store.
His brother-in-law, Thushy Bwoii, rushed to help after receiving a call from the shopkeeper.
Mr Bwoii said: “I was only five minutes away, but most of those who had stolen from the shop had gone.
“There was a group of up to 100 outside the shop, and about 30 of them came inside. Most of them had one intention, just to come and steal and then go.
The shopkeeper had little choice but to let the youths go (Image: Cover Media)
“They came in as a pile and they just walked out as a pile, so we had no idea who was doing what.
“They just swarmed in and went straight for the fridges. They knew exactly what they were intent on doing.”
Mr Bwoii said many of the youngsters appeared to be drunk and some had earlier been refused alcohol because they were underage.
“The majority of them, they didn’t take one bottle, they took three or four, like they wanted loads of alcohol,” he said.
“You can’t physically stop them, you can’t touch them or anything, so you just have to let them go.”
Many of the young people appeared to be drunk (Image: Cover Media)
The family believe around £200 worth of stock was stolen, although a full stock check is still being carried out.
He said: “It could be more, but we’re not sure yet.
“It’s my brother-in-law’s shop, his own place, and someone came and did this – it’s not a nice feeling. He wasn’t angry – he just felt helpless and hopeless.”
Mr Thaya has run the store for the past two years and, according to Mr Bwoii, had never experienced anything on this scale before.
He said: “The odd schoolkid will come and take a sweet or chocolate, but nothing this major.
“I’ve seen videos of things like this in London, but you wouldn’t expect it in Canterbury.”
The family later posted CCTV footage on Facebook in the hope that those involved could be identified.
Mr Bwoii said: “What I want them to know is that if you do things like this, you might not get prosecuted, but it will come out on social media, it will come to light. If my kids did this, I’d be embarrassed.
“If your child is in this video please do the right thing and take them back to the store and make them pay for it.”
Mr Bwoii said the father of one girl seen taking a bottle of wine had since visited the shop and reimbursed Mr Thaya.
Kent Police confirmed officers are investigating reports that multiple bottles of alcohol were stolen from the store. Anyone with information is asked to call 01843 222289 quoting reference 46/85403/26.
