Two crooks who raided a jeweller's in Sittingbourne High Street and stole expensive watches have each been jailed for two years.

Harry Dunham and Jimmy Marney waited in a car as a third man went into Battrum & Son and pretended to be a customer.

David Battrum was working alone in the family firm on March 7 when the unknown man asked to see two Rolex watches - together worth £15,000 - in the window.

"He looked at them and effectively had it on his heels," prosecutor Gary Pons told Maidstone Crown Court.

Mr Battrum was able to lock the door before the thief could get out, but he smashed the glass and was able to escape.

A witness saw him run off and get into the back of a car and hide. The witness took down the car registration and passed it to police.

Officers made checks on the automatic number plate recognition system and found the car in Lowfield Street, Dartford.

Marney, 28, was the driver. Dunham, 26, ran off towards Central Park, but was caught and arrested.

Only one of the watches was recovered. Marney said he was just the driver and not involved. He named the other man as Damian.

Dunham, of Maiden Lane, Crayford, and Marney, of Station Road, Crayford, admitted theft.

Mr Pons said Marney had 13 convictions for 22 offences, including burglaries and theft.

He was jailed for 33 months in February 2011. Dunham had 13 convictions for 37 offences.

Craig Preston, defending, said: "These are very unattractive circumstances and the defendants present themselves as unattractive prospects for release on community orders."

But he said a suspended sentence with community orders could be imposed.

Mr Preston said he was instructed they did not know what was going on until the last moment.

But Judge Michael Carroll said: "Damian would have looked a bit silly if he ran back to the car and said 'drive' and Marney said: 'Not on your Nelly.'"

Video: Police at Battrum & Son in Sittingbourne

Passing sentence, the judge said: "I don't think it was incidental you found yourselves in Sittingbourne and one of the three entered this small independent jewellers.

"I am satisfied there was an element of deliberate targeting. I am satisfied only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified."

It was the second time the shop was raided in less than two years. A robber smashed the window in September 2011 and grabbed three Rolex watches worth a total of £16,000.