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Vehicle thieves caught by pictures on phones
TWO men have been jailed after photographs of stolen property were found on their phones following a spate of thefts across west Kent.
Top officer to
stay in post THE Chief Constable of Kent Po- lice, Alan Pughsley QPM, has ac- cepted a second extension to his contract from the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Scott. Mr Pughsley was appointed
Chief Constable in January 2014 and has now had his appointment extended to January 2022. Mr Scott said: “During his lead-
ership, Kent Police have become the only force in the country to be graded as ‘outstanding’ by the in- dependent police inspectorate for four years in a row.” Mr Pughsley said: “I am incredi-
bly pleased to be offered the priv- ilege to continue to serve as the Chief Constable of this outstand- ing force.” Kent Police will continue its biggest recruitment drive with the aim of delivering 3,813 officers by March 2021.
Darren Mills (31) and William Adams (21) conspired to steal a number of vehicles, trailers and plant machinery between Decem- ber 1, 2019 and February 18, 2020. The pair managed to steal three
vans, two Land Rovers, a trailer, a climbing wall, a high-pressure jet washer and attempted to steal a further trailer from locations in- cluding Maidstone.
Adams also stole a Land Rover, a caravan, a trailer and attempted to steal two further Land Rovers and a digger on a trailer from Paddock Wood and Marden. The thieves were responsible for offences where property valued at around £100,000 had been stolen. They planned the thefts over
their mobile phones and used cars with false number plates to travel to the scene of their crimes. Following the thefts, they also discussed disposing of the prop- erty via text, and sent pho- tographs of the stolen objects to prospective buyers. Mills was arrested on February 18 and Adams was detained on February 20.
A SHED was broken into at a house in London Road, Allington, and a bike was stolen. Tyres were found slashed on a vehicle
in Cavendish Way, Bearsted. Items were stolen from a vehicle in Threshers Drive, Boxley. A white Ford Transit van, registration
VK58 ***, was stolen from Bower Mount Road.
Three men were looking at a car for sale
in St Anne’s Court when one of them tried to pour a liquid into the coolant tank. This is believed to be a common scam which makes the vehicle smoke to get a reduced price. A cat was attacked, injuring its tail,
in
Hanover Road, Coxheath. A house was broken into at Caring Lane,
Leeds, and items taken. A six-month-old Yorkshire terrier puppy called Lilo went missing in Honey Lane, Otham. A young person was seen trying to dam- age a lock on a garage in Northfleet Close, Maidstone. Glue was put into the lock of a back gate
at a house in Northfleet Close, Maidstone. This had happened several times over the
34 Darren Mills (left) and William Adams admitted stealing vehicles
They pleaded guilty at Maid- stone Crown Court, and on Mon- day, September 14, Mills was jailed for four years and one month. Adams was sentenced to three
years and nine months. Detective Chief Inspector Lopa McDermott, of the Chief Consta- ble’s Crime Squad, said: “These two criminals brazenly commit- ted their crimes when the owners were distracted, or drivers were making deliveries. “They ran their offending as a
business, discussing which items to steal and advertising the stolen property by sending photographs to potential buyers. “Their arrogance was their downfall, when investigators checked their mobile phones and found incriminating text conver- sations and the images.
“The impact on the victims should not be underestimated, and in some cases businesses ceased trading due to the finan- cial loss. It is only right that Mills and Adams are now in prison.”
Neighbourhood Watch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police
previous weeks. A vehicle was keyed in Sittingbourne
Road, Maidstone. A brick was used to smashed a window of a house Headcorn Road, Headcorn. A horse tethered to a fence damaged a sign in The Street, Ulcombe. The driver of a white Citroen Berlingo got out and attacked another driver's car, denting the door, in Broomfield Road, Broomfield.
Somebody broke into a field in Ashford
Road, Hollingbourne, releasing three horses which were later recovered. A red Honda Fourtrak quad bike was stolen. The windscreen of a vehicle parked in Laight Road, Boughton Monchelsea, was smashed. Thieves broke into a Nissan Navara parked in Keele Avenue, Park Wood, by smashing the back window. They stole a wallet, camera, and cash.
Somebody cut the brakes of a van parked in Devon Road, Shepway.
Wheels were stolen from a vehicle in a lay-by in Mote Park. White paint was thrown on the pave- ment and on the side of some houses in Oxford Gardens, Shepway.
Somebody broke into a Jaguar
Sovereign parked in Westmorland Road, Shepway, and stole items from inside. Trespassers on private land attempted to steal fish and damage to trees in Hayle Mill Road, Tovil. Five young people were seen pushing pots off a planter in Beaconsfield Road, Tovil, and damaging a trough in a garden. Tools were stolen during a burglary at a house in Greenfield Close, Aylesford. A purse, keys and cash were stolen from the passenger side seat of a BMW that had just stopped on a driveway in Woodlands Road, Ditton. The driver was still inside.
A Dell laptop was stolen from an office
drawer at a business premises in Belling- ham Way, Ditton.
Crime reports
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