A Maidstone man has been sentenced to six years in prison for burglary following the theft of three cash machines.

Nelson Walter Hilden, 49, of Gallants Lane, East Farleigh, Maidstone and his team, targeted cash machines in vulnerable rural shops.

On December 12 last year the gang attacked stores in Lyminge, Wye and Lenham.

The gang struck the Lenham store, in Honeywood Road, at 2:26am.

They used a 4x4 vehicles to crash into the front of the premises causing £50,000 of structural damage.

Horrified witnesses called police after hearing a loud crash.

As they destroyed the front of the shop with the vehicle, they also caused damage to two parked vehicles.

The gang dragged the cash machine from the store and along the road using the 4x4 but the machine became dislodged from the vehicle and was left behind.

The gang fled from the scene as a police patrol car arrived.

The patrol car followed one of the vehicles in a high speed police chase but lost sight of it after a few miles.

As the officers returned to the scene a second 4x4 approached them at speed and crashed into the patrol car injuring the police officer in the passenger seat.

Moments later the car was found abandoned near to the scene. The windscreen was damaged.

Forensic officers examining the windscreen found DNA evidence identifying Hilden as one of the offenders.

Hilden was then arrested and charged in December 2008.

He was jailed for two and a half years for the offence at Lyminge, six years for the offence at Wye and six years for the raid at Lenham, to run concurrently.

Det Insp Tom Richards from Kent Police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit said: "The selfishness, greed and complete disregard for others has led to this gang's attempt to steal from three village shops. The impact on the local community is significant as they have targeted businesses at the heart of the community causing disruption and damage in their wake.

"They have also put lives at risk, injuring a police officer attending one of the scenes but also those living in the premises above the shop at Lyminge and Lenham."