A pensioner's Fiat 500 taken from a driveway near Chipstead Lane was traced to Dartford and returned. A 40-year-old man has been arrested and bailed.

A pensioner’s Fiat 500 stolen from a driveway near Chipstead Lane has been found near Dartford and returned to its owner, and a man has been arrested. Kent Police published the details on Monday afternoon. (Kent Police, Car reported stolen from Sevenoaks is returned to owner, 7 September 2026)

The force says the car was taken from the driveway of a property at some point between Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August. Officers launched an investigation and traced the vehicle to a premises near Dartford. It was recovered on Thursday 4 September and given back to its owner.

Timeline: the Fiat 500 was taken from a driveway near Chipstead Lane between 30 and 31 August, recovered near Dartford on 4 September and returned, and a 40-year-old man was arrested and bailed.
The week from theft to recovery, from the force's statement. Graphic by Sevenoaks Online.

An arrest, and enquiries continue

A 40-year-old man from Sutton-at-Hone was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. He has been released on bail while enquiries continue. An arrest is not a charge, and no one has been charged over the theft.

Vehicle crime in the town is rare, but not zero

Recorded vehicle crime in the Sevenoaks area is low. The latest street-level figures from police.uk log three vehicle crimes within a mile of the town centre in July 2026, down four on the month before. (police.uk street-level crime data) Our Sevenoaks crime figures page breaks down every category from the official data and is updated when each month’s release lands.

Thefts in progress should be reported to Kent Police on 999, and non-urgent reports made online or on 101.

Sources

Image: Chipstead Lane, Riverhead by Chris Whippet, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph.