Car thief who caused collision in high speed chase is jailed

A man who stole a car from a driveway in Whitstable as part of a series of thefts and burglaries and then took officers on a high speed chase, before crashing the vehicle, has been jailed.

Shane Seymour was found to be responsible for more than 20 thefts and burglaries in the east of the county following his arrest on 24 September 2022.

He stole the Land Rover from a property in St Johns Road during the early hours after entering the property and taking the keys before driving off. Later that day the vehicle was spotted in the Sturry area of Canterbury and police were called.

Pursuit

Following an area search officers located the vehicle at the Brenley Corner roundabout but the vehicle, being driven by Seymour, moved off at speed, onto the M2 London-bound, travelling at more than 100mph and overtaking vehicles on the hard shoulder.

Crash

He was pursued to Junction 3 where he left the motorway and collided with another vehicle at a roundabout. Two people in that vehicle were injured and treated at a London hospital.

Seymour made off from the vehicle but was located 10 minutes later by patrols in Robin Hood Lane, Walderslade and arrested.

The pursuit and arrest of Shane Seymour

Following an investigation by the Kent Crime Squad, officers found evidence that he had been involved in a total of three burglary offences, four theft of motor vehicle offences and 26 theft offences between August and September 2022.

These included the theft of and from motor vehicles from properties in Herne Bay and Whitstable as well as fuel theft from garages in Faversham, Chestfield and the Thanet Way.

Court

He was later charged with theft of a motor vehicle, driving with no insurance, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified as well as conspiracy to burgle and steal.

On Friday 24 March 2023, the 29-year-old, from north London, pleaded guilty to the offences and was jailed for five and half years.

Detective Sergeant Jay Robinson from the Crime Squad said: ‘Seymour’s crimes showed he had no regard for the impact his offending had on his victims, and Kent residents can be reassured now that he is safely behind bars.’