Joshua Plant and CCTV from the night of his offending
Joshua Plant took his friend’s car without permission on Friday 13 October 2023 and, from around 11.30pm, attempted to break into a number of properties in the Cliffsend area of Thanet.
He managed to break in to a home in Beech Grove, stealing a handbag and a watch, but his actions were caught on CCTV. Residents reported seeing him acting suspiciously and trying door handles in the area and Kent Police patrols attended. Officers identified Plant from a description given to them and he was detained at around 12.30am, assaulting an officer during the arrest.
The stolen watch was found near him by police and the vehicle he had taken was located crashed in a field near Nash Road. Following an investigation by East Kent CID, Plant was charged with aggravated vehicle taking, burglary, assaulting an emergency worker and eight counts of attempted burglary.
The 22-year-old, from Margate, admitted the charges and was sentenced to 21 months at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday 2 May 2024. He was also disqualified from driving for 683 days.
Investigating officer 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.’