High Street Smash-and-Grab in Bognor Leads to Prison Sentence

A man who smashed his way into a jewellery shop in Bognor using a stolen vehicle has been jailed. Freddie Stevens, 22, of Gibbs Lane, Bordon, Hampshire, was sentenced to two years in prison at Chichester Crown Court on January 27. The court heard how two Range Rovers were stolen from Yapton and Pulborough in […]

A man who smashed his way into a jewellery shop in Bognor using a stolen vehicle has been jailed.

Freddie Stevens, 22, of Gibbs Lane, Bordon, Hampshire, was sentenced to two years in prison at Chichester Crown Court on January 27.

The court heard how two Range Rovers were stolen from Yapton and Pulborough in the early hours of November 11. One of the vehicles was then driven to The Arcade shopping centre in Bognor Regis, where shutters were rammed and forced open.

Footage showed a vehicle smashing through a shutter from the High Street entrance before travelling along the pedestrianised thoroughfare. Damage was also caused to an entrance in Belmont Street.

Stevens was identified as one of the men who forced entry to Clayden and Co jewellers inside The Arcade. Around £30,000 worth of stock was stolen in the raid, with the owner reporting that as much as half of the shop’s stock had been taken in the run-up to Christmas.

An alarm was activated at 2.12am and officers arrived within four minutes, but the suspects had already fled.

An investigation traced the movements of the stolen vehicles. A Range Rover Evoque was later found burnt out on the A29 at Slindon, on a route towards Stevens’ home in Bordon. Officers also recovered Stevens’ DNA from inside the store.

He was arrested and charged with burglary and two counts of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent. He later pleaded guilty.

The damage to The Arcade meant all stores were forced to close for two days while repairs were carried out.

District Commander Chief Inspector Adam McCaig said: “This was a shocking incident that caused significant disruption to businesses and the community.

“Officers arrived within minutes, and following a thorough investigation we were able to identify one of the two suspects as Freddie Stevens.

“I would like to thank businesses and the public both for their patience and also for their support for our investigation. Their help has ensured Stevens had no choice but to plead guilty when this matter went to court. I am pleased he is now serving a custodial sentence.”

Anyone with further information can report it to Sussex Police online quoting serial 71 of 11/11/2026, or contact CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.