Shoppers warned after spate of car parts thefts


POLICE have warned shoppers following a spate of thefts in broad daylight of catalytic converters from cars parked outside super- markets. The incidents included two at Sains-


bury’s car park at QuarryWood, Aylesford, when a Peugeot 406 was targeted between


Library puts pupils


in wonderland CHILDREN at Mereworth Community primary school have enjoyed a week of celebrations to mark the opening of their new library. A year ago, the new


head teacher, Diane Moore, asked parents and pupils what they would like to do with a disused room, and a library was top of the list. Their hard work and fundraising paid off when a collection ofWonderland characters, including the Mad Hatter, Alice and the Queen of Hearts, invited the youngsters to a tea party in the new facility. The library is filled with


books chosen by the chil- dren as well as audio books and computers. Some of the pupils have been trained as librarians and will be running clubs during lunchtimes.


noon and 12.35pm, followed two days later by a Peugeot 806 between 12.10pm and 12.30pm. Similar thefts occurred at Swanley and Sevenoaks. Detective Sgt Ben Turner said: “Thieves target catalytic converters because of their


scrapmetal value and certain types of vehi- cle, such as 4x4s, people carriers and vans, are higher off the ground and easier to get underneath. “These thefts took place at busy locations


in the day so I would like drivers to be aware and think carefully where they park


their vehicles. If they see someone acting suspiciously near any vehicle at such a lo- cation I would ask them to call police im- mediately. “It doesn’t take long for a thief to remove


a catalytic converter. Itmay just beaamat- ter ofminutes, so prompt information is key to catching the people responsible. Anyone with information should call


01732 379217 or Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


Scout’s good job earned


them more than a bob SCOUT group members who carried out a litter pick around Leybourne have been thanked with a cash gift. A team of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts from


Mereworth head teacher DianeMoore, in Mad Hatter guise, throws a tea party to celebrate the new library.


The week of special ac- tivities included a story- teller, extreme reading – which involved photos of children reading in un- usual situations – quizzes, poetry sessions and book swaps. The library is part of a refurbishment programme


VANDALS super-glued the front door locks of a number of properties in AmesWay, Lindel Court and Orient Court, East Peckham. Lead flashing was removed


from the porch of a property in Butchers Lane, Mereworth. A car taken overnight from Chapman Way, East Malling, was later found abandoned and burnt out. A car parked in Mill Hall,


Aylesford, had two win- dows smashed.Ayoung male wearing a white T- shirt was seen running away.


Front and rear num-


ber plates were taken overnight from a car parked in McKenzie Close, Royal British Le- gion Village. A tractor was damaged in the


yard of commercial premises in Tower View, East Peckham. An incident captured on


CCTV of a male smashing the window of a car in Rockford Road car park, Snodland,is being investigated. A garage in a block belonging


to properties in Swallow Road, Larkfield, was broken into but nothing appears to have been taken. A side mirror was broken off


a car parked at the rear of a property in Springett Close, Ec- cles. A blue-glazed pot containing a 3ft acer tree was taken from


due for completion in Sep- tember, which includes turning the old school house into learning space and new staff facilities. MrsMoore said: “The


day was a huge success and the children were full of excitement and couldn’t wait to open a book.”


1st Leybourne Scout Group, supervised by leaders, met at the village hall and worked hard to collect more than 20 bags of rubbish – and even two old bicycles. The clean-up covered the public footpaths around Leybourne including the open grass areas. As a mark of thanks for doing an ex- cellent job, the parish council presented the Scouts with a donation of £150. Chairman Cllr Bob Ulph gave a personal thank-you to the boys and girls and con- firmed that the parish council would con- tinue to actively support the group in its search for a site for a Scout HQ.


Beat the criminals IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE PHONE: Police: 01732 771055 Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111


the doorstep of a property in Kent Street, Mereworth. AresidentinPloverRoad, Larkfield, prevented a break-in after hearing a noise and chas- ing off two males who escaped over the garden fence. A window to the property was dam- aged in the incident. Roof lead was


taken from commer- cial premises in London Road, Dit- ton. A number of 13ft


steel fencing posts were taken overnight from a yard at the rear of commercial premises inWin- terfield Lane, East Malling. An attempt was made to break


into a garage in a block belong- ing to properties in Saltings Road, Snodland. Cash was taken from Ralph’s Hairdressers in High Street, West Malling. The battery was stolen from a


lorry parked overnight in a se- cure yard off Old Road, Water- ingbury. Thieves stole the spare wheel


of a car parked on a driveway in Butchers Lane, Mereworth. Extensive damagewas caused to commercial premises off


London Road, Ryarsh, after it was broken into. Both number plates were re- moved from a car parked in Holborough Road, Snodland. Three children’s scooters


were taken overnight from the front of a property in Baywell, Leybourne. The screen of an ATMoutside


a bank in London Road, Lark- field, was damaged. A strimmer was taken from a garden in Broadwater Road, West Malling. Fuel was siphoned from a


lorry parked on the forecourt of commercial premises in Burnt Ash Road, Aylesford. Vandals keyed a car parked in Holborough Road, Snodland. There was an attempted break


in to a garage of a property in Partridge Avenue, Larkfield. A socket set was taken from


an open barn in Teston Road, Wateringbury. Keys were removed from a


jacket pocket at the Joiners Arms public house, West Malling. Tack and a generator were


taken overnight after a break-in at stables in Swanton Road, West Peckham. Fog light covers were taken


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from a car in a private car park in Midsummer Road, Snod- land. Two-way radios were taken


when thieves broke into out- buildings of a social club in Sta- tion Road, Ditton. Thieves broke into a secure compound in Royal British Le- gion Village and stole the bat- teries from heavy duty vehicles. Kent peg tiles were stolen


from the back of a church in Park Road, Addington. A black Gary Fisher moun-


tain bike was stolen from the garage of a property in Grebe Court, Larkfield. Thieves stole a wood chip-


ping machine from a shed at a property in Bell Lane, Ditton. Three air-conditioning units attached to a service station in Holborough Road, Snodland, were stolen overnight. Fuel oil was taken from a storage tank after thieves broke into outbuildings to a sports and social club in Station Road, Ditton. An attempt was made to


break into a shed in the grounds of a school in Swallow Road, Larkfield. Tools were stolen from a van parked in St Leonards’s Street, West Malling. A Satnav was stolen from a


car in Baywell, Leybourne. In an attempted break-in overnight at at industrial unit in Sheldon Way, Larkfield,the lock at the front was damaged.


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