A pair of burglars were caught after police pulled over their getaway car, discovering a trail of stolen goods linking them to a Swanscombe property.

Joshua James-Smith, 24, of High Street, Chatham, and Jacob Winnett, 27, of Canterbury Street, Gillingham, were stopped in Sheerness after police received reports of two men acting suspiciously near a house.

They were seen driving away in an Audi around 40 minutes later, which was pulled over on the A249.

Winnett quickly exited the passenger seat and ran across the carriageway to evade arrest.

Police pursued him and after a two-mile foot chase he was arrested on suspicion of burglary.

Inside the back of the car police found a Rolex watch and a large quantity of cash hidden on Winnett. Both items were reported stolen from the earlier burglary.

Following the arrests, officers searched Winnett’s home where they found a drone and designer trainers which had been reported stolen during a burglary on January 28 in Bailey Drive, Swanscombe.

James-Smith was identified as a suspect for the Swanscombe burglary after being photographed jumping over the back fence.

Both were jailed at Maidstone Crown Court after pleading guilty to burgling the Sheerness home, on Halfway Road, on February 21.

Winnett, who also admitted an unrelated charge of perverting the course of justice, was jailed for one year and eight months on July 23.

James-Smith, who admitted an additional burglary in Swanscombe, was sentenced to one year in prison on the same date.

Winnett’s perverting the course of justice charge related to him providing false documents during an unrelated court case.

Investigating officer PC Colin Cherry said: "The invasion of privacy that a person feels knowing their home has been burgled must not be taken lightly and we work hard to ensure those responsible for such crimes are caught and appropriately charged."