Local News

The recently crowned regional npower Kids Cup Champions, Minterne Community Junior School from here in Sittingbourne (and supported by Gillingham FC), got the opportunity of a lifetime on Thursday (18th April) when they were put through their paces by former England defender Gareth Southgate.

During the campaign the school have seen off competition from clubs including Bristol Rovers, Plymouth and Wycombe to book their place in the National Finals of the Kids Cup, taking place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 18th May before the League Two Play-Off Final.

Gareth was joined by representatives from the Football League sponsors npower, and took the opportunity to meet the entire school in assembly where he answered numerous questions about his playing and managerial career.

He then passed on some valuable tips and techniques during a training session with the team; the session included footwork, movement and passing drills and finished with a game which Gareth himself took part in.

After the training session Gareth posed for photos and signed shirts and boots for all the team and their parents/guardians.

106.9 SFM wish the team the very best of luck at Wembley where they will face the school representing Morecambe FC.

A 20-year-old man has been arrested following a burglary at a property in Sittingbourne.

Kent Police was called after 4pm on Tuesday 2nd April after reports of a break-in at an address in Adisham Green, Kemsley.

A number of jewellery items, including a gold engagement ring, gold wedding band and Armani watch were reported missing, as well as £3,500 worth of camera equipment and a mobile phone.

A 20-year-old man from Sittingbourne was arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage and has been bailed until Wednesday 5th June pending further enquiries.

Kent Police are appealing for witnesses after an elderly woman had her purse stolen during a distraction theft in Sittingbourne.

The 85-year-old victim visited a bank in the High Street on Wednesday (27th March) at approximately 2.30pm and withdrew £50 from a cashpoint. She then returned to her car, parked by a supermarket on the Avenue of Remembrance, when a man came up to her and asked for directions to France.

The victim, who is local to the area, put her handbag in the passenger seat of her car and began writing down directions on a piece on paper handed to her by the man. As she did so, she became aware the man had moved to her side. He took the paper off her and left, at which point she noticed another man standing nearby and grinning.

The woman later noticed her purse had been taken from her handbag. It contained the £50 she had withdrawn and several bank cards - two of which were then used to withdraw £250 each.

The men are described as white, with one in his 30s with dark brown hair. He was well dressed in navy trousers and jacket. The other was around 60 years old, with a heavy build and a khaki overcoat.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Karen Caulfield, told SFM's Roger Wrapson "this was an underhanded theft of a vulnerable victim. I'm eager to hear from anybody who may have noticed either of these men. I'd like to remind people to take extra care when withdrawing money at public cashpoints - you never know who could be watching you enter your PIN. Often thieves will try to distract you while they or an accomplice steal your belongings. If you are in any way suspicious of somebody, call Kent Police immediately".

Anybody with any information is asked to call Kent Police's non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference XY/9419/13, or they can contact Kent Crimestoppers free (from any landline) and anonymously on 0800 555111.

Three men have been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for stealing high-value computer chips worth almost £2million.

The trio were arrested on 13th September 2012 by officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate following the theft that day of computer chips valued at £1.9m. The chips were part of a larger consignment (£4.5m) which were being transported via lorry trailer from Ireland via the UK to Holland. The men were disturbed during the theft, therefore preventing the theft of the whole load. The men were all charged on 14th September 2012.

Adrian Gowers, 48, of Langdale Close in Gillingham, Desmond Schwartz, 39, of Corton Close in Stevenage and Darren Tyrrell, 24, of Thomas Road, Murston, Sittingbourne all pleaded guilty on 20th December 2012 at Maidstone Crown Court. The men travelled in two vehicles, a stolen Fiat Ducato and a Vauxhall Vectra which was owned by Schwartz from Lordswood in Kent to the Bedfont area of West London just south of Heathrow, with the intention of stealing computer chips from the transport company. They spent several hours in Bedfont awaiting the load's arrival. Once it did arrive and was unloaded, the offenders drove into the yard and loaded some of the pallets into the stolen Ducato and then drove off.

They were arrested shortly after the theft by Kent Police officers who had been investigating the stolen vehicle. The Ducato had been stolen in Kent on 10 September and fitted with cloned number plates. Officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate conducted a thorough investigation, confiscating six mobile phones and establishing that Adrian Gowers first visited the Bedfont area on 25th August 2012. On 10th September, the white Fiat Ducato van was stolen from Borden in Sittingbourne. On 13th September, the two vehicles left the Lordswood, area in convoy at around 9.20am. Both vehicles arrived at an area just south of Heathrow at just after 11am. The men then spent several hours in the area. Both vehicles were then driven to Parkland Road in Ashford, Middlesex where the Vauxhall Vectra was then left.

The number plates were again changed on the Fiat Ducato before Gowers, Schwartz and Tyrrell approached the lorry park at around 5.10pm and parked next to a stacked pallet load of computer chips, which were awaiting collection to be transported to Holland. Whilst one remained in the driving seat, two men exited the vehicle and were seen to try and load the pallet in its entirety into the Ducato. When this failed, they slashed the wrappings of the pallet to unload individual boxes. They were then disturbed and challenged by an employee of the yard and they left at speed in the Ducato. The Ducato was abandoned in Feltham, having had its number plate changed again, and Gowers, Schwartz and Tyrrell walked to Parkland Road where they got into the parked Vauxhall Vectra. Schwartz then drove them away from the area.

The Vauxhall Vectra, now being followed by police, was forcibly stopped by Kent & Essex Serious Crime Directorate officers on the A30 at the junction with Blacknest Road in Surrey. The men were arrested and taken into custody at Medway Police Station. A car key was recovered from the back seat of the Vectra which was then used by officers to unlock the abandoned Fiat Ducato. Boxes of computer chips were recovered from the rear of the Ducato and established to be worth around £1.9m.

Today (Monday 18th March), Gowers was sentenced to five years and three months in prison, while Schwartz and Tyrell were each given custodial sentences of three years and nine months.