A burglar stole more than £55,000 of agricultural equipment from farms across the county, causing “significant disruption” to farmers.

Jamie Broadmore went on an eight-month crime spree stealing plant equipment from farms and businesses in Allhallows, Shorne, Sandling, Gravesend, Southfleet and West Malling.

He used recovery trucks to steal the vehicles before he sold the items by pretending his uncle had died and he was selling them on behalf of the family farm.

Broadmore, of Elaine Avenue, Strood, first stole a Ritchie Cattle Handling System worth £20,000 from a farm in Allhallows, in July last year.

He went on to steal a Spearhead Topper cutting machine worth £19,000 from a farm in Gravesend and a month later got away with a Pottinger Hay Tedder for spreading hay, four 200 litre barrels of Adblue – a liquid which helps reduce harmful emissions from diesel engines – and 10 orange ratchet straps, totalling £16,000, from another in the area.

Police officers from the Rural Task Force began investigating the thefts and used ANPR to identify a recovery truck, which was seen on the M25 loaded with the stolen Spearhead Topper.

Further checks revealed the same vehicle had been used to transport the other stolen items and was traced to a site in Gloucestershire. When it returned to Kent each time it was loaded with straw bales.

The force visited the site and although no stolen equipment was found, there were several large bales of straw.

Broadmore continued to visit farms and businesses where he stole further items. On March 8, he targeted a farm in Southfleet where he took 20 cattle hurdles – which are temporary fences – and a post knocker to hit posts into the ground, worth around £10,000.

Officers from the Kent Crime Squad carried out further investigations and linked him to burglaries and thefts.

They also found photos on his phone which showed images of the stolen agricultural equipment and it was traced as being in the place where the crimes happened.

Statements were also taken from people who had purchased the equipment in good faith.

The 37-year-old was then arrested by officers and was charged with six burglaries, three thefts, two frauds, acquiring criminal property and failing to provide a sample for a drug test.

He admitted five burglaries, two thefts and two frauds and on Monday, July 31, and he was jailed for two years and four months at Canterbury Crown Court.

Investigating officer DC Paul Marsh, of the Kent Crime Squad, said: “Broadmore was brazen in his criminality. He went to great lengths to conceal his actions and even fooled victims by telling them a false story in order to gain their trust and encourage them to buy the stolen items.

“These items were integral to these farms and businesses and his theft of the equipment caused them significant disruption. I am pleased we have been able to return the stolen items to the victims and that Broadmore has been sentenced accordingly for his offending.”