£1.5 Million Shock Damage in Digger Cash Machine Raids
Two burglars have been slammed with hefty prison sentences after wrecking shops and service stations across Kent in a £1.8 million spree involving diggers and stolen cash machines.
Crime Spree Details: Diggers, Damage, and Stolen Cash
- Between November 2019 and January 2021, Anthony Pemberthy and Stephen Davenport smashed shops and petrol stations using diggers to rip cash machines from walls.
- Their crimes hit six Kent locations, causing over £1.5 million in damage and theft losses.
- Notorious raids included a Co-op in Cranbrook (November 2019), Esso petrol station in Staplehurst (January 2020), and Tesco Extra in Whitfield (March 2020), where a staggering £200,000-plus was stolen.
- Failed attempts at Morrisons, Northfleet, and Tesco Express, Dymchurch, still left behind serious damage.
- The final smash-and-grab hit Shell Lychgate petrol station near Thanet Way in March 2021, netting £50,000.
DNA Evidence and Court Sentence
Thanks to cutting-edge DNA tracing by Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate detectives, both men were caught and charged with burglary.
On 10 November 2022, Pemberthy, 44, from maidstone/" title="Maidstone" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Maidstone, was jailed for eight years and nine months. Davenport, 61, also from Maidstone, received seven years and five months.
Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Greenstreet warned: “Kent Police will track you down and bring you to justice, whatever lengths we have to go to.”
He added: “These men didn’t care about the destruction or potential harm caused. Their sentences reflect the severity of their crimes.”
Ongoing Efforts to Protect Businesses
The crackdown follows another jail sentence handed down earlier this year for a similar Canterbury raid. Authorities believe these offences are linked.
In June, Kent Police earned the NPCC Police Partnership Initiative Award at the British Security Awards for collaborating with businesses on cash machine safety and crime prevention.
Businesses and communities are urged to stay vigilant as police continue to fight back against organised smash-and-grab gangs.
