Reward of £10k offered after violent burglary

A reward of up to £10,000 is being offered for information in connection with a violent burglary in Sevenoaks.

During the incident in June a handgun was used to strike a woman who was in the property at the time.

Kent Police, which is keeping an "open mind" if the suspect is a man they believe has struck across south-east England over almost two decades, has released video footage of the moment the woman is attacked.

Crimestoppers, which is offering the reward for information that leads to a conviction, said valuables worth £1.8 million were stolen in the Sevenoaks raid.

Police said a woman was assaulted by a man who entered a residential property near Wildernesse Golf Club on 21 June.

The man threatened the victim with what appeared to be a handgun and struck her head with the weapon.

At least 50 high-value pieces of jewellery and watches were taken.

Det Insp Jon Saxby said: "This was horrifying. The incident must have been so scary and upsetting for the victim.

"Now she has to live with the memory of this and not feel safe in her own home.

"We are aware there are a certain number of offences over the last decade that have a similar number of characteristics, we are keeping an open mind this might be the same person."

Crimestoppers said a suspect used trains to to travel between Staplehurst and Sevenoaks before the attack.

It said: "After the burglary, he was seen on trains between Hildenborough, Tonbridge and Marden, finally cycling in Staplehurst shortly after 6pm."

Kent Police has issued several CCTV images of a man they want to identify.

He was wearing a face mask, cream coloured baseball cap and had trainers with distinctive red soles.

Detectives have been hunting a violent burglar who they believe has struck across south-east England for 18 years.

The man, who is believed to he an ex-soldier, stakes out expensive properties, getting to know their layouts, the occupants' movements and where valuables are kept, police say.

He has struck several times in Surrey since 2006, but he was also linked to crimes in Chichester, West Sussex, and Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Susan Morris suffered a broken jaw when a man attacked her while robbing her home in Kingswood, Surrey, in October 2017.

She described how he pointed a gun in her back, hit her head against a wall and dragged her across the floor by her hair while demanding she hand over more jewellery.

Kent Police - who have dubbed the man the Night Watcher - have previously linked him to recent burglaries at isolated properties near Maidstone, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.