Weekend Burglar Caught After Stealing Mate’s Car
Joshua Plant made a disastrous mistake on Friday 13 October 2023 when he took his friend’s car without permission. Starting around 11.30pm, he prowled the Cliffsend area, trying to break into multiple homes.
Burglar Caught on CCTV Stealing Watch and Handbag
Plant smashed into a property on Beech Grove and snagged a handbag and watch. His sneaky raid was caught clear on CCTV, leading to swift police action.
Residents Spot Suspicious Behaviour, Police Move In
Locals saw Plant fiddling with door handles and acting shady. Kent Police soon arrived on patrol, using witness descriptions to hunt him down.
Arrest Ends With Assault on Officer and Vehicle Crash
Officers nabbed Plant at about 12.30am. He resisted arrest, even assaulting an emergency worker. The stolen watch was found near him. Meanwhile, the car he’d taken was found crashed in a field near Nash Road.
Serious Charges Lead to Jail Time
- Aggravated vehicle taking
- Burglary
- Assaulting an emergency worker
- Eight counts of attempted burglary
The 22-year-old from Westbrook Road, Margate pleaded guilty. On Thursday 2 May 2024, he was sentenced to 21 months behind bars at Canterbury Crown Court and banned from driving for 683 days.
Detective Constable Georgie Taker said: “Plant committed a series of offences in a short space of time, upsetting a lot of residents. Through the vigilance of the community, and the availability of technology such as doorbell cameras, officers were able to present a strong case against him, resulting in this prison sentence.”
