Kent: Five plead guilty to high value car burglaries

Five men appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday, 17 September 2012 charged with a series of burglaries across the Medway, Swale and Maidstone area.

Danny Stevenson (27) of Bettescombe Road, Gillingham, Jamie Rustage (21) of Beatty Avenue, Gillingham, James Clark (21) of Hards Town, Chatham, Adam Green (24) of Hards Town, Chatham  and Frank Harris (19) of Swift Crescent, Chatham all admitted conspiracy to commit burglary. Another man, Charlie Bushell (21) of Kingston Crescent, Chatham admitted a count of attempted burglary.

The gang targeted a number of homes across Kent, breaking in to steal car keys and then targeting high value cars parked on the driveway. Their crime spree began on 15 September 2011 with the final offence being reported to Kent Police on 7 January 2012. In total, officers from The Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate investigated around 48 offences in connection with the crime series.

The first offence took place in the early house of Thursday, 15 September 2011 when a black Honda CR-V valued at around £20,000 was stolen from the driveway of a house in Harvesters Close, Rainham.

On the same evening a Mercedes Benz worth £18, 000 was taken from a driveway of a house in Emsworth Grove, Maidstone. The vehicle was stolen after the house was broken into and the car keys taken from the property. The owners were asleep in the property whilst the crime was carried out. The vehicle was located in Burlington Gardens, Rainham the following day. The number plates had been removed.

Another offence took place in Forge Lane, Upchuch, Sittingbourne on Sunday, 9 October 2011 when a silver Mercedes Benz valued at £23, 000 was stolen. The car was found in Cherry Close, Lenham the following day after a police patrol spotted it being driven on the A20.

The final offence was reported to have taken place at around 4.35am on Saturday, 7 January 2012 at a house in Chafes Lane, Upchurch. In this instance an intruder to the property made off empty handed after being challenged by an occupant.

A painstaking investigation by officers from The Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate examined mobile phone data which provided evidence linking the men to the offences. They appeared before Maidstone Crown Court where they all admitted the counts against them.

They have all been remanded in custody until sentencing which is scheduled to take place on 28 September 2012