Two suspected thieves have been arrested and a van laden with stolen copper cabling has been seized following a rapid police operation across north Kent.
The incident unfolded on Saturday 1 August 2026, when Kent Police received reports that entry into an industrial premises in Queenborough, on the Isle of Sheppey had been forced and a quantity of heavy copper cabling was taken from a storage container which was loaded into a getaway vehicle before the offenders fled the scene.
Immediate enquiries enabled officers to identify the targeted van as it left the island and travelled towards the Gravesend area. Alerted local police moved swiftly to intercept the vehicle, bringing it to a stop along Gravesend Road in Higham.
Upon searching the van, officers successfully recovered the stolen cabling alongside two BMW wheels that had been reported stolen from the local area earlier that afternoon.
A 15-year-old boy and a 30-year-old man, both Romanian nationals living in Gravesend, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of burglary and theft offences. The 30-year-old was additionally arrested on suspicion of driving without a licence and without insurance.
Both suspects have since been released on bail as Kent Police continue their enquiries into the matter.