A thief sped through streets in a stolen car at 80mph in a bid to evade police after raiding a home.

Shane Rule was spotted driving the vehicle through Chatham after breaking into a house and stealing the vehicle when he failed to stop for officers on patrol.

The 35-year-old, of Boundary Road, Chatham, has now been jailed for almost five years after he admitted seven charges including driving offences and burglaries across Chatham.

He broke into a property in Westmount Avenue between January 20 and 23 ransacking the home before filling three suitcases with items.

Rule then stole a car parked in the garage which was reported to officers on patrol on January 23.

He drove off at speeds more than double the speed limit through residential areas to avoid being caught when officers tried to pull him over.

After leading police on a chase at up to 70mph in New Road and 80mph in City Way, the car crashed into a wall near Port Rise and a passenger was injured.

"His dangerous driving and blatant disregard the safety of others, has rightly led him to a custodial sentence"

When officers searched the car they found the three suitcases full of stolen items.

He was arrested and charged with burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, causing injury by dangerous driving, theft, and driving whilst disqualified.

Further investigations led police to also charge Rule with two counts of burglary from a convenience store and take away in Boundary Road and Skinner Street on January 6 and 8.

Rule was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison during a hearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday after earlier pleading guilty to all the charges.

Investigating officer Det Con Rebecca Ward said: "In January, Rule targeted two business premises in his local area causing damage to the buildings in order to break in.

"He entered a home and stole a great deal of personal items from inside which can have a lasting emotional effect on a family. This, coupled with his dangerous driving and blatant disregard the safety of others, has rightly led him to a custodial sentence."

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

To get the latest updates in ongoing cases, police appeals and criminals put behind bars, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway