A nightclub promoter has been charged with 25 house burglaries and stealing eight cars.

The offences took place in Medway, Gravesend and Larkfield between December 15 and March 2.

Jason Ross, 25, from Chatham, has been remanded in custody until his plea and case management hearing at the end of May.

Kent Police has reported an increase in these types of burglaries, called ‘creeper burglaries’ across the county - when thieves enter homes to steal car keys.

BMW, Ford and Audi are the most popular models targeted.

Since the beginning of January, there has been 96 vehicles either stolen, recovered following a theft or attempted to be stolen from burglaries in Kent. This is compared with 62 during the same period last year.

In a separate case, a teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court on April 19.

The 17-year-old, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to one count of house burglary and admitted a further 28 offences. These included theft from motor vehicles and house burglaries, all in Medway and Swale. He is awaiting sentence.

These cases follow the sentencing of two car thieves who netted almost £500,000 of vehicles from homes across Kent during a series of night-time burglaries.

DCI Simon Morris said: "We are determined to clamp down on criminals who breach the sanctuary of people’s homes and help themselves to items of significant monetary and sentimental value.

"The invasion of personal property often has a long lasting and detrimental effect on victims.

"We take burglary very seriously and work tirelessly to prevent offences from being committed and keep people, and their homes, safe.

"Our analysis has shown that in many cases, criminals have targeted properties where windows and doors haven’t been properly secured and in many cases entry has been easily gained.

"We urge householders to secure their homes at night before going to bed and leave car keys out of sight."