Isle of Sheppey caravan burglar jailed

A burglar who broke into caravans on the Isle of Sheppey has been sentenced to two years and three months’ imprisonment. Darren Baldock, of Erwood Road, Charlton, south east London broke into two caravans on two different sites and also stole a transit van. The 50-year-old pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday 7 November 2019. At around 5.30am on 3 July 2019 a burglary was reported to Kent Police where car keys, phones, cash, and electronic items were stolen from a caravan at Hart Holiday Camp in Leysdown-on-Sea. A Ford Transit van was also reported as being stolen from outside the property. Later the same morning patrols were to alerted reports that the stolen van was stuck on the beach near Sheerness docks. It appeared the driver had tried and failed to free the vehicle from the beach by attaching a rope and pulley system to a fence. Later CCTV images identified the driver as Baldock. Officers located Baldock in the area. He told them he worked for the caravan park and his work van was stuck on the beach. He was wearing a jumper with the caravan park’s logo on it. Enquiries determined that Baldock was lying and the search of another caravan on the site resulted in the discovery of the items stolen that morning. He was arrested and later released while officers continued to investigate. During the early hours of 5 July 2019 Baldock was discovered by a resident in a caravan at the Nutts Farm Caravan Park also in Leysdown-on-Sea. This time he claimed he was a security guard and then left the property. Bank cards and cash were reported as being stolen. Baldock was arrested a short distance from the caravan park and was found to have the items reported stolen with him. He was charged with two counts of burglary and one of theft of a vehicle and was remanded in custody. The officer in charge of the case, CID Investigator Charlotte Lundy said: ‘Baldock thought he could steal from others by impersonating staff and lying, without giving any consideration to the impact burglary has on victims. ‘The fact he committed burglary whilst still under investigation shows he was determined to continue and this custodial sentence has put a stop to his criminal activities.’

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