Two men from Maidstone have been jailed for their roles in burglaries which targeted a charity, school and popular park.

Police pulled over a Transit van in Heath Road, Maidstone in March, and found 27 power tools and a generator, later discovered to have been stolen earlier the same day from a conservation group based in Ruskin Park.

The men had broken into a secure shipping container, before leaving in one of the charity’s transit vans.

Subsequent investigations linked the van to the theft of 23 mountain bikes from a cycle hire business at Bedgebury Park, near Goudhurst.

Holloway, of James Whatman Way, Maidstone; Chambers, of Oriel Grove, Maidstone, and Hilden, of Hampstead Lane, Nettlestead, were later charged with the burglary at Ruskin Park and theft of the charity's transit van.

Holloway was also charged with the break-in at Bedgebury and Chambers with a burglary at Wrotham Secondary School on January 28, 2020.

The three pleaded guilty to all the counts at Maidstone Crown Court.

Holloway, 32, was jailed for three years and four months; Chambers, 32, was jailed for two years and six months, and Hilden, 41, was given a two-year sentence suspended for two years.

Investigating officer, DC Alex Peacock, said: "These men are prolific criminals who have been preying on premises during the hours of darkness. They have caused considerable damage during the course of the break-ins and the losses suffered by some of those targeted will have had a considerable impact on their ability to continue trading.

"It is appropriate that two of these criminals are now behind bars to protect those who are honestly trying to earn a living."