RAIDERS 'wearing Halloween masks' stole jewellery worth more than £10,000 from a village shop.

Officers have surrounded Tiptree Jewellers in Church Road, Tiptree, and are investigating the circumstances of the raid, which happened shortly after 9.30am.

Eye witnesses reported seeing two men wearing Halloween masks - one a skeleton and one a Scream-type mask - running out of the shop before running to the back and jumping into a Mercedes.

It is understood the men smashed their way into a display cabinet.

Police have cordoned off the shop and part of the square in Church Road while a forensic scientific support team carry out investigations. 

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Police are appealing for witnesses after a robbery at a jeweller’s shop in Tiptree.

"Two masked men entered Cartouche in The Centre at around 10am today, Thursday September 1, and smashed a jewellery cabinet with some sort of heavy tool.

"They made off with an amount of jewellery, thought to be worth a five figure sum. The men were unarmed and no one was injured.

"Witnesses reported seeing the suspects drive off in a black Mercedes C220.

"Enquiries are ongoing and officers remain at the scene speaking to witnesses and scoping local CCTV."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Ds Richard Edwards at Colchester CID on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

UPDATE FRIDAY 9AM:

DETECTIVES have arrested four suspects in connection with the raid.

Two men from Romford, ages 58 and 30, one 36-year-old man from Colchester and a 55-year-old woman from Romford were arrested yesterday on suspicion of robbery.

The 55-year-old woman and 58-year-old man have been bailed pending further enquiries to December 12.

The two others remain in custody.

Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact officers at Colchester CID on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.