Car Thief George Paton Jailed Over Night Burglary Spree
George Paton, 21, from Bromley, has been locked up for over four years for leading a brazen crime spree stealing cars and vans during night-time break-ins. Paton and his two accomplices plundered homes across Kent, then flaunted their loot on social media.
Three-Men Burglar Gang Strikes Across Kent
Paton, along with Harrison Walker and Jayden Jones-McGilvray, hit eight homes in Folkestone, Hythe, Dymchurch, Lydd, and Camber between 8 and 28 September 2020. Their method was simple but ruthless – breaking into homes at night, stealing keys, then driving off in victims’ vehicles. Often, they switched license plates to hide their tracks.
Social Media Bragging Leads Police Straight to the Culprits
Their spree unraveled when they nicked a Ford Transit van and Volkswagen hatchback from a Lydd address. The victim posted the theft on social media, sparking police action. CCTV caught three men lurking around the property. Officers traced the stolen van to a nearby holiday park, where they found a bank card and vehicle keys inside the suspects’ room.
Mobile phone records and videos of the trio riding in stolen cars posted online sealed their fate. The evidence also linked them to other break-ins.
Hefty Sentences for Paton and Accomplices
- Paton got four years and three months at Canterbury Crown Court, running alongside a separate nine-year robbery sentence.
- Jones-McGilvray, 22, was sentenced to 3 years 10 months.
- Walker’s time is four years and two months plus extra for handling stolen goods and driving offences.
Detective Constable Kirsty Gee blasted Paton’s “habitual theft” and emphasised the trauma caused to victims relying on their vehicles. She said:
“Kent is undoubtedly safer with him behind bars.”
