Criminals who burgled small businesses and charities have been put behind bars following a months-long thieving spree across Kent.

Lee Owen, of Lower Road, Faversham, and Liam Scott, of no fixed address, staged 12 break-ins, making off with cash and electronic goods.

The targeted establishments were spread across several towns in the county, including Whitstable, Seasalter, Faversham, Herne Bay, Aylesham and Ash.

The first offence took place in Church Street, Whitstable, on November 11, last year, where Owen and Scott broke into a small business and took cash.

The pair next turned to a business in Seasalter, where on December 20, they stole cash, speakers and headphones.

In the early hours of January 1 this year, the criminals burgled two more businesses in the Jubilee Way area of Faversham, again taking cash.

That same week they burgled two further firms in Herne Bay, and later in January burgled two more businesses in Aylesham, one in Ash, and a takeaway and a charity in Faversham.

But the stealing spree eventually came to an end when police pieced together CCTV footage taken at the crime scenes, found clothes linking the men to the burglaries and arrested them both in February.

Owen, 43, and Scott, 23, were both charged with conspiracy to burgle and appeared in Canterbury Crown Court on Friday, October 14.

Owen was jailed for three years and four months, following a trial in which he denied the offence, while Scott was sentenced to two years and five months after pleading guilty.

DS Jay Robinson said: "I’d like to commend the local shopkeepers who assisted my team with this investigation.

"Despite huge losses to their businesses their support meant Owen and Scott were identified and brought to justice.

"My team work to track down repeat burglars like Owen and Scott and bring them to justice for their crimes.

"The number of offences we showed they were behind has led to these jail terms, which will protect businesses in the area from their attention in future."