Two teenagers and a 23-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of burglary after a tense car chase on the M2 today.

Officers followed a black BMW X3 up the London-bound carriageway of the M2 when a member of the public reported the vehicle to police shortly after hearing alarms sounding at the Spar supermarket at Tankerton, near Whitstable at around 5.30am.

Police used two stinger devices across all four lanes at junction 3 of the M2 at around 6am, which destroyed all of the BMW's tyres. The car continued to junction 2 where police stopped it.

The men were arrested in connection with a series of suspected burglaries early today.

The burglars used an implement to get into the Spar store and then targeted the cigarette stock. Earlier, the Somerfield supermarket in Birchington was broken into just after 5am, and cigarettes were taken.

The kiosk of an independent garage at Brooks End was also burgled.

It is still being determined what was taken and what damage has been caused.

A 15-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man from the Rainham area of Essex and a 23-year-old man from the Romford area of Essex are currently in custody and will be questioned later. The BMW X3 has been reported stolen following a burglary in Essex.

Read the full story in this week's Whitstable Gazette.