TWO men who stolen high-value cars from Gravesend, Swanley and Longfield were rumbled after police discovered photos they took of themselves in the stolen cars.

Sam Holmes, 22 and David Leadbeater, 23, played the "integral and fundamental" role of getaway drivers in a conspiracy that saw cars worth £457,000 stolen during a two-month period last year.

The pair, from Mottingham and Eltham, were each jailed for six-years at Maidstone Crown Court this morning.

A total of 37 vehicles were taken from driveways across Kent, including Mercedes-Benz, Audi’s and a high-performance Volkswagen Golf R32.

Sentencing Holmes and Leadbeater, Judge Philip St John-Stevens said: "The seriousness of the offence is the method by which it was achieved, this being to target people’s homes at night in order to steal keys and to take their cars parked outside or near to their homes.

"It was clear the occupants were more than likely at home because the cars were there.

"These defendants were at hand in the general vicinity to drive the vehicles away - they really were the drivers.

"They were paid for their work.

"The fact is they were party to this agreement, knowing exactly what was happening - an agreement to steal vehicles in a sophisticated way."

The pair - who Judge St John-Steven admitted were "part of a gang" - targeted homes in Parrock Road, Winters Croft and Gatwick Road in Gravesend, as well as Pincroft Wood in Longfield and Salisbury Avenue in Swanley between May 1 and July 5 last year.

They also stole items from inside the homes they broke into, taking iPads, iPhones, laptops and handbags.

After the cars were stolen, the pair applied false number plates to the vehicles in a bid to avoid police detection.

In one instance, a stolen vehicle had fake plates applied to it within 30 minutes of being taken.

Judge St John-Stevens added: "They drove in some regards very dangerously, with complete disregard to the damage of the stolen vehicles and of other road users.

"The seriousness of committing a burglary at a residential home should not be lost.

"It is not the value of the property or the fact that property is recovered.

"It is the fact that people’s homes are invaded, people’s homes where they should feel safe have been invaded and abused."

In one case, a five-year-old girl was in the house at the time of the burglary and in another, the victim found one of the men in her bedroom when she woke up.

The pair pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle on Friday, four-days after the case had been listed for a six-week trial.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Adrian Grew said: "Both Holmes and Leadbeater have shown no remorse for their crimes despite overwhelming evidence being found by police during this investigation.

"They may have seen themselves as successful criminals but they left an incredible trail of evidence and slipped up in every way possible - not only were they incompetent, but they have no morals either.

"I’m pleased the courts have found them guilty as it sends out a strong and very clear message, that crime does not pay and it will not be tolerated by Kent Police."