A van crashed into a garden wall in a road in Rainham last night.

The white van crashed into a garden wall in Bettescombe Road, at about 10pm.

It is understood the people inside the vehicle made off from the scene.

Police say they were called to another location earlier in the evening after reports intruders had gained entry to a building site in Capstone Road, Chatham.

When officers arrived at the scene they spotted the white van close to the site which was then driven off when the occupants spotted police.

Officers later found the van had crashed into a lamppost and a garden wall in the residential street in Rainham.

Two police cars and officers with dogs were then seen in the road and a search was carried out but officers did not locate the driver.

One neighbour who didn't want to be named, said: “I was sitting in my lounge watching TV when I heard a thud which made me sit up.

"A few minutes later I looked out the window and I could see a white van with its lights on across the pavement.

"The police were already on the scene.

"This morning I could see it had knocked the wall down. Thankfully nobody was walking by."

A spokesman for police, added: "Kent Police was called at 9.20pm to reports intruders had entered a building site in Capstone Road, Chatham.

"Police attended the scene and carried out an area search.

"At around 10pm a vehicle, believed to be a Citroen Berlingo van, was seen by officers close to the building site.

"It contained two men and drove off when approached.

"It was later found to have collided with a lamppost in Bettescombe Road, Rainham.

"The occupants of the vehicle had left the scene and enquires are ongoing to locate them."