Farm Equipment Bandit Jamie Broadmore Jailed for Two Years!
Jamie Broadmore, from Strood, went on an eight-month crime spree stealing pricey farm kit across Kent. Using recovery trucks, he made off with equipment worth tens of thousands, hitting farms and businesses in Allhallows, Shorne, Sandling, Gravesend, Southfleet, and West Malling.
Farmer’s Gear Stolen and Sold on
- Broadmore’s thefts began on 14 July 2022, when he stole a £20,000 Ritchie Cattle Handling System from an Allhallows farm.
- That same month, he nabbed a £19,000 Spearhead Topper from a farm in Gravesend.
- On 12 August, he made off with a Pottinger Hay Tedder, four 200-litre barrels of AdBlue, and ratchet straps valued at £16,000, again in Gravesend.
- His final recorded strike was on 8 March 2023 in Southfleet, where he stole 20 cattle hurdles and a post knocker worth around £10,000.
Police Snare Broadmore Using High-Tech Tracking
Kent Police’s Rural Task Force got on Broadmore’s tail after spotting a recovery truck on the M25 carrying stolen goods. ANPR cameras helped identify the truck’s movements, which included trips to a Gloucestershire site where stolen items were loaded and straw bales returned to Kent.
Although police found no stolen equipment at the Gloucestershire site, the investigation linked Broadmore definitively to the crimes.
Busted and Banged Up
Detectives uncovered photos on Broadmore’s phone showing stolen goods and matched his phone’s location to the burglaries. Witnesses also revealed Broadmore lied about selling kit to cover the death of his “uncle”.
He was arrested, charged with six burglaries, three thefts, two frauds, acquiring criminal property, and failing a drug test. Broadmore admitted to five burglaries, two thefts, and two frauds.
On 31 July 2023, Canterbury Crown Court sentenced the 37-year-old to two years and four months behind bars.
Detective Constable Paul Marsh said: “Broadmore was brazen in his criminality. He went to great lengths to conceal his actions and fooled victims with a false story to sell stolen items. These thefts disrupted vital farm businesses. We are glad to have recovered the gear and seen justice served.”
