A shop in Kingston has kept its licence after being accused of handling stolen goods.

The Met Police asked Kingston Council to strip the premises licence held by Coombe Convenience Store, in Coombe Vale, after alleging officers had found stolen goods there earlier this year.

Police Sergeant Jeremy Weston said in a statement to the council that officers had seized alleged "stolen goods, including alcohol" while raiding the shop on 17 April. He claimed the store "was likely used to distribute or sell illicit products".

But the police confirmed it had dropped the investigation due to a lack of evidence at the council's licensing hearing on Tuesday, 12 August.

Agent Gill Sherratt, representing shop owner Kanapathipillai Kumaran, told the meeting there was no evidence the items seized by police on the day of the warrant had been stolen, or that the shop had been involved in any criminal activity.

Ms Sherratt said Mr Kumaran had owned and run Coombe Convenience Store legally for 22 years, going above and beyond to help the community, without breaching any conditions on its licence.

She said items had accumulated in the shop over this time, and that he was sometimes given gifts that he would sell in store.

Ms Sherratt said: "Mr Kumaran has owned this premises for over 22 years, never been in trouble before. He has over 6,000 lines of product. He works all the hours that he can do to keep his business viable.

"It's chaotic, but they have a lot of loyal and grateful customers… he has personal relationships with people, which is why a lot of products come in, they go out, they end up on shelves and he does get gifts." 

The agent stressed the committee needed to make its decision based on evidence, and that there was "no evidence whatsoever that this business is involved in handling stolen goods".

The committee deliberated in private, before confirming the shop could keep its licence with the amended condition that it must hold onto CCTV for 90 days, instead of 31 days.

A full report on the committee's decision will be published in the coming days.