A suspected shoplifter is said to have walked out of a department store without paying for £300 worth of clothes.

Police officers were called to House of Fraser, in Maidstone, on Saturday (February 17) afternoon to reports of a theft.

It is alleged a man entered the store, in Fremlin Walk, picked up the clothes worth more than £300, before walking out without paying.

He also reportedly threatened the shop’s security guards when challenged.

Vincent Oladokun, of Creffield Road, Acton, in London, was later charged with theft from a shop, failing to provide a sample for a class A drugs test, and common assault.

The 43-year-old appeared before Medway Magistrates’ Court on Monday (February 19), where he pleaded guilty to failing to provide a sample, but denied the other charges.

He has since been bailed pending a further hearing at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on October 16.

House of Fraser will be shutting at the end of March for around six months to give the 100,000sq ft space a huge makeover.

As part of the first phase of works, auction house NCM Auctions was tasked with clearing out the three-floor space and hosted an online bid.

Each store sells a range of fashion, beauty, home and accessories, including designer brands such as Ralph Lauren, Barbour, Biba, Hugo Boss, Mulberry and Calvin Klein.