Knife-wielding robbers, night-time burglars and organised thieves across Kent have been jailed for close to 50 years.

Over the month of August Kent Police's crime squad, which primarily investigates burglary and robbery offences, made 20 arrests and issued 78 new charges.

It was revealed cases built by the team led to offenders being jailed for a total of 48 years and two months.

Among those jailed are three robbers, Shaun Chalmers, Harry Lugg and Ben Atthis, who between them threatened three different victims with knives across Dover and Aylesham. They were jailed for a combined total of 17 years and nine months.

One victim, aged 14, was told his face would be “sliced open” during a knife-point robbery in Canterbury, during the nine-month crime spree.

Elsewhere in Dover, a man who stole computers, bank cards and cash from two properties in East Cliff was jailed for two years and three months.

He was arrested within hours of the second offence after a PCSO recognised him from CCTV that showed him using a victim’s bank card in a fraudulent transaction.

Detective chief inspector Matt Talboys said: "The results achieved in August have removed dangerous individuals from the street and made our communities safer.

"A lot of the criminals we investigate commit an offence because they think the odds are in their favour, possibly by possessing a weapon or by entering a victim’s home in the middle of the night.

"Many of those who faced enforcement action in August have found out we’re prepared to get down to their level by obtaining warrants, forcing our way into their homes, and arresting them when they least suspect it.

"We’re going to continue to use every power available to us to ensure robust action is taken against offenders like this."

Also jailed was an organised thief who targeted shop keepers who had bought tobacco products from wholesalers in Gillingham and Rochester.

He was one of three men involved in five different thefts over a four-week period and was jailed for two years and three months. His co-offenders are awaiting sentence.

The theft of high value electrical items, worth at least £75,000, following shop burglaries in Tunbridge Wells and Ashford also led to a 27-month jail sentence for Ionel Stoian from Hampshire.

And while these cases have concluded, proceedings have been commenced against a string of other suspected criminals and several were brought into custody following dawn warrants at their home address.

Among those charged are two Thanet women who are alleged to have conspired to burgle numerous homes across east Kent to steal medication.

They have been remanded in custody and are due to appear before Canterbury Crown Court in early September.

Dawn warrants at properties in Dagenham, Essex, also led to two men and a teenage boy being arrested in connection with a series of car key burglaries committed in Strood, Wainscott and Maidstone.

One of these offenders has been charged and remanded in custody ahead of a future appearance at Maidstone Crown Court. The other two have been released as enquiries continue.

'We’re going to continue making the county a difficult place for criminals to operate'

Alleged knife-point robbers have also been charged and remanded in custody ahead of court dates.

These include a man who is said to have targeted a Chatham taxi driver and a suspect who stole from a woman after she was seen winning cash at an amusement arcade in Leysdown.

DCI Talboys added: "If you look at our results for the calendar year to date, offenders have been jailed for around 240 years with many more cases expected to be wrapped up in court this month.

"We’re going to continue making the county a difficult place for criminals to operate.

"Anyone with aspirations to commit similar offences needs to only look at the results we are achieving, month in month out, to see there is a high likelihood of them being pursued by our team and brought to justice."

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