Two burglars from East London are beginning prison sentences this week after their getaway in a stolen Porsche ended in a collision and a failed foot chase. Shaun Cloke and Rio Cox targeted a home on Cliff Road in Birchington on 14 January 2026, where they made off with jewellery and a Porsche Macan.
Their freedom was short-lived, however, as Kent Police patrols spotted the vehicle on the A299 Thanet Way less than an hour after the initial report.
The situation escalated when the driver refused to stop, leading officers on a high-speed pursuit characterized by erratic driving. The chase reached a climax when the Porsche collided with a Tesla while attempting a dangerous undertaking manoeuver. Following the crash, the stolen car came to a halt on a slip road, prompting Cloke and Cox to flee on foot. Officers quickly apprehended both men, and the stolen jewellery and vehicle were subsequently returned to the rightful owner.
Legal proceedings at Canterbury Crown Court saw both men plead guilty to burglary and aggravated vehicle taking, with Cox also admitting to a charge of dangerous driving.
On Wednesday 1 April, 35-year-old Shaun Cloke, previously of Hackney, received a 26-month prison sentence. Rio Cox, 22, formerly of Bow, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, a term that also accounted for two additional burglaries he committed in Sussex during late 2025.