Two gang members who used diggers to rip cash machines from the walls of businesses have been ordered to pay back their ill-gotten gains.

Anthony Pemberthy and Stephen Davenport were tracked down and hauled before the courts after being traced by DNA left at the scene of various supermarkets and service stations they targeted across Kent.

Police believe the gang netted them more than £300,000 - while costing companies £1.6 million in damages and lost revenue - from the offences which took place between November 14, 2019, and March 1, 2021.

Pemberthy, 46, formerly of Calder Road in Maidstone, and Davenport, 63, formerly of Ashford Road in the same town, were both jailed in November 2022 for their role in the offences.

Both have now been told to pay back more than £120,000 following further work by police financial investigators.

The case related to six incidents, during which diggers were used in an attempt to remove cash machines and the money they contained from the walls of businesses.

The first offence took place at the Co-op in Cranbrook High Street in the early hours of November 14 2019.

Significant damage was caused to the store and nearly £30,000 in cash was taken. A pick-up truck and the cash machine were later recovered by police in Marden.

Two months later, in January 2020, a further burglary took place at the Esso petrol station on Cranbrook Road, Staplehurst.

During that incident, around £80,000-worth of damage was done to the building and around £20,000 in cash was stolen.

In March 2020, a group using a digger tore two cash machines from the wall of Tesco Extra in Whitfield, near Dover.

The vehicles involved drove at officers on foot who attended and rammed two police cars as they left the scene. More than £200,000 was stolen and £40,000 of damage was caused.

The same group then took part in two failed attempts to steal cash machines.

Firstly at Morrisons in Coldharbour Road, Northfleet, on January 31 2021 and then at Tesco Express in High Street, Dymchurch, on February 28, 2021.

Both buildings were severely damaged but the offenders failed to make off with any money.

The final offence took place at Shell Lychgate petrol station on the A299 Thanet Way, near Dargate, on Monday 1 March 2021, when around £50,000-worth of cash was stolen.

Detectives used advanced DNA techniques to show Davenport was driving the pick-up trucks used during the Cranbrook and Staplehurst offences. Pemberthy meanwhile was shown to have operated the diggers used in Staplehurst, Whitfield, Northfleet and Dymchurch.

Further work by police financial investigators led to the two being brought back to court on Thursday to face a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing.

Pemberthy was jailed for eight years and nine months for six offences. He has now been told to pay back £108,000.

Davenport was sentenced to seven years and five months for two offences. He has been told to pay back £14,300.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Chris Greenstreet said: “These offences not only had a big impact on the businesses targeted, both in terms of the money stolen and the damage done to buildings, but also on the wider community who weren’t able to access essential services.

“I am pleased that, since these men were arrested, there have been no further successful incidents of this kind in Kent.

“We are determined to ensure criminals do not profit from their crimes and that is why our investigators worked to show the court that justice would be served by them repaying their criminal gains.

“Anyone thinking of stealing from businesses in Kent should know they will be brought to justice and forced to hand back what they have taken.”