A gang of car thieves raided homes throughout Kent including that of a convicted killer.

Two of the shame-faced villains, who had been remanded in jail awaiting trial, telephoned the terrified victim to assure her they were just after the car.

Michael Johnson, 25, of Warden Road, Eastchurch, Alfie Johnson, 22, of Leysdown Road in Sheerness, and Danny Webb, 21, Ricky Webb, 23, and Oliver Cooke 22, all of no fixed address, received sentences totalling 30 years.

The infamous five carried out the raids in August and November 2019 taking vehicles in Welling, Strood, New Ash Green, Chislehurst, Rainham, Orpington, Faversham, Sevenoaks, Cliffe, West Wickham and Ashford. Prosecutor Danny Moore told Maidstone Crown Court how the gang took 39 vehicles in 29 burglaries worth more than £750,000.

They stole a Mercedes after breaking into a house in Sutherland Avenue, Welling on August 8, 2019.

A few hours later at 3.10am three people, with their faces covered and wearing gloves, burgled a house in Merryfields, Strood and stole a Mini Cooper and a Mercedes, together with £50 cash and bank cards.

A police officer saw three cars in convoy before the Mini crashed and the men made off along the M25.

A discarded grey balaclava was found by an officer and tests showed it contained Danny Webb's DNA.

Mr Moore said the stolen Mercedes was also involved in a crash on Anglesea Road, Orpington and forensic examiners discovered Ricky Webb's DNA inside the vehicle.

On the night of August 14 and 15 a Vauxhall Astra was stolen from Millfield, New Ash Green which was later found on the Valley Park Traveller Site on Lower Road, Swanley, displaying a different registration number.

The court heard how raids followed in Highfield Road, Chislehurst; Lower Twydall Lane, Rainham; Lower Road, Orpington and Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks.

Burglaries also took place at Preston Park, Faversham; Battlesmere Road, Cliffe; Corkscrew Hill, West Wickham; Moore Park Close, Rainham and on October 3, a silver Ford Ranger was taken from Sittingbourne after the driver got out to make a collection.

Mr Moore said it was tracked to Hawkins Road, Sittingbourne and then onto Hayden's Close.

The prosecutor said four days later a burglary took place in Ryland Road, Ashford when keys to a Range Rover Evoque and a VW Golf were stolen.

He revealed that the gang also raided a house in Nares Road, Gillingham when the owner confronted two men -wearing ski masks - and one of the raiders turned to confront the owner shouting: "Come on, then" before fleeing with a stolen campervan.

But the thieves came a cropper when they tried to burgle a house in Chave Road, Dartford - frightening the owner, whose husband is serving a jail sentence.

While on remand, two of the gang, Ricky Webb and Cook later rang her from prison to "apologise and to reassure her" that they had been targeting the vehicle not the house.

Michael Johnson admitted two charges of conspiracy to steal and was involved in 25 burglaries.

He was jailed in 2017 for manslaughter after his victim tried to stop him from stealing a vehicle, he was released early from a five year three month sentence.

After Judge David Griffith-Jones QC handed him a sentence of 84 months in a Young Offenders' Institute, Johnson launched into a tirade of abuse before being led away.

Father-of-one Alfie Johnson admitted conspiracies involving 15 thefts but quit the gang before the end. He said he now felt shame for letting down his family. He was jailed for 63 months. The 108 days he has already served on curfew awaiting sentence will be taken off the sentence.

Danny Webb, 21, of no fixed address admitted the conspiracies but claimed he took part in only 21 burglaries. He now suffers from panic attacks and has a mild learning difficulty. He was jailed for 77 months.

His brother Ricky Webb pleaded guilty to the conspiracies but claimed he was involved in just 18 burglaries. He was on prison licence for previous offences and has been sentenced to 81 months. His child born while he was on remand.

Oliver Cooke, of no fixed address but was living in Bromley and Orpington areas, admitted five burglaries, attempted burglaries and theft of a VW Golf. The judge told him: "You had joined this group, if only for one night but you have badly let down the mother of your child, who was born recently." He was jailed for 45 months.

But the judge told the gang: "This was organised, professional enterprise targeting houses at night, using vehicles stolen from previous offences.

"You wore masks and at least one occasion you ransacked the house and on another occasion you threatened the occupier." Burglary is a vile and immoral offence and some of your victims faced distress because of the crimes you committed against them."

The judge then commended the officer in the case, DC Nicola Emery for her "excellent work."

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