A QUICK-THINKING undercover police officer spotted a car stolen from Medway Maritime Hospital and helped to track down the suspected thieves within 75 minutes. The detective saw the driver of the silver Vauxhall Astra as he was travelling along Palmerston Road, Chatham.

It had been was reported missing about an hour earlier. The H-registration vehicle was being driven in the opposite direction heading towards Magpie Hall Road, so he turned round and followed it down Blue Bell Hill and into Aylesford.

It was while the Astra was forced to queue at the village's level railway crossing that the officer had the chance to alert his colleagues. Marked police cars and uniformed police responded and, when the barriers lifted, there they were able to block the road and make some arrests. Three men have since been interviewed and charged.