AN OFF-DUTY police officer gave chase after witnessing what is believed to be the attempted theft of a valuable sports coupe at a service station. The owner of the TVR Chimaera had gone to pay for petrol at the Esso service station in Maidstone Road at Borough Green when a man tried to get behind the wheel of the car.

The suspect had failed to notice the owner's teenage son sitting in the passenger seat. He ran from the car after being challenged and joined four other people in a red Renault Laguna which then sped off. The police officer, who had been filling his car with petrol, saw what had happened and followed the suspect's car along Borough Green High Street and into Western Road.

At this point, with both cars stationary, one of the Renault's occupants - believed to be the would-be thief - got out and tried to attack the officer through the open window of his car. The Renault drove off and the man disappeared, but a short time later he was seen walking in Borough Green High Street by the officer.

When the man realised he had been seen, he called to his friends in the Renault parked nearby and they drove off.

West Kent police are now seeking witnesses to the various incidents, which occurred at and after 8pm on Thursday, December 6. The man they want to interview is white, aged 25 to 30, about 5ft 10ins tall, with short very dark brown wavy hair and a stocky build. He was wearing dark jeans, a white tee-shirt and a dark green flecked thick-pile fleece.

Anyone with information should contact police on 01732 740055 or call the free, anonymous Crimestoppers linkline on 0800 555111.