Maidstone cash machine thieves who caused £1.5m of damage jailed
- Published
Two men have been jailed for a series of cash machine thefts across Kent
Two members of a group that caused more than £1.5m worth of damage in a series of cash machine thefts have been jailed.
Anthony Pemberthy and Stephen Davenport used diggers in an attempt to remove the machines from the walls of supermarkets and service stations across Kent.
The offences took place between November 2019 and January 2021.
The pair have been sentenced to a total of more than 16 years.
The group stole, or attempted to steal, cash machines in Cranbrook, Staplehurst, Whitfield, Northfleet, Dymchurch and Dargate.
The pair have been sentenced to a total of more than 16 years
At Maidstone Crown Court, Pemberthy, 44, formerly of Calder Road, Maidstone, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison.
Davenport, 61, formerly of Ashford Road, Maidstone, was sentenced to seven years and five months.
The total damage, theft and loss incurred in all six offences is estimated at more than £1.8m, Kent Police said.
The thefts took place between November 2019 and January 2021.
Det Ch Insp Christopher Greenstreet said Pemberthy and Davenport "didn't care" how much damage they caused, or who they injured, as they committed the "shocking offences".
Police used advanced DNA techniques to show Davenport was driving the pick-up trucks used during the Cranbrook and Staplehurst offences.
Pemberthy, meanwhile, was shown to have operated the diggers used in Staplehurst, Whitfield, Northfleet and Dymchurch.
The total damage, theft and loss incurred in all six offences is estimated at more than £1.8m
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