Christmas Tree thieves arrested in Tunbridge Wells

Three thieves were caught in the act of stealing over a hundred Christmas trees from a garden centre near Tunbridge Wells last week.

Late Tuesday night officers received a call from a security firm monitoring CCTV at Notcutts Garden Centre at Tonbridge Road in Pembury, who had seen three men climbing over a fence and were carrying Christmas trees about.

The offenders had smashed two obvious CCTV cameras at the site, but were unaware of covert cameras still monitoring them.

Police cars made a silent approach to the scene cutting off all the exits around the site and then officers moved in. One of the thieves was caught after attempting to run off and the other two were found hiding in bushes. Officers then followed a trail of pine needles to the thieves van, where 138 Christmas trees of various sizes, as well as 48 boxes of Christmas lights and two wheelbarrows were found stacked nearby, ready to be loaded.

The haul was worth almost £7000.

21-year-old Ashley James Austin of Grove Road, Maidstone, 35-year-old Lee Danny Hodgson of Tonbridge Road, Maidstone and his brother 31-year-old Grant Hodgson of Court Road, Burham, Rochester all pleaded guilty to theft at Sevenoaks Magistrates on Thursday 24 November.

Ashley Austin and Lee Hodgson were sentenced to a 12 month community order with an unpaid work commitment. Grant Hodgson was sent to Maidstone Crown Court for sentence.