Warning

Delivery drivers working around the county in the run-up to Christmas are being warned about a spike in van thefts and assaults and are being given safety advice by Kent Police.

Since the beginning of November there have been nine reports concerning either delivery drivers who have been assaulted or vans stolen in Ashford, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Rochester, Sittingbourne and Gillingham.

The Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) were called to Burley Road at around 9.00am yesterday (Sunday 22nd November) morning.

Sittingbourne fire crews have issued a safety warning following a flat fire this morning (Friday 15th April) believed to have been started by a cigarette.

Firefighters from Sittingbourne and Faversham were called to the blaze at a first floor flat in Hawthorn Road, just after 9am. Crews were alerted to the fire after a neighbour heard the alarms sounding, saw smoke and dialled 999. The first crew arrived at the property within two and a half minutes of receiving the emergency call to find all but one of the nine flats in the building had been evacuated.

Police are warning Kent residents of a new scam that could result in a person's bank account being wiped out by a fraudster.

Scammers appear to be using new phone apps that allow them to use a fake caller ID in an effort to convince the person they are targeting that they are calling from a legitimate bank. It is understood that the fraudsters will telephone an individual using the phone app which makes it appear as if the caller ID matches that of the bank.