Police are warning residents to be extra vigilant after 11 burglaries were reported in 24 hours in Clacton and the surrounding area.

Shops and houses were targeted in the break-ins which police are now investigating.

A house was broken into in Pork Lane, Great Holland, and property stolen. A cooker and three paintings worth £1,100 were taken from Meadow View Park, Little Clacton.

Two properties in St Osyth Road, Clacton, were also broken into with £365 cash taken from one house.

An attempt was made to get into Powerhouse, Station Road, Clacton, but would-be thieves were stopped by a locked door.

A safe was opened and envelopes, a purse and wallet were taken after raiders got into the Poplars home, Naze Park Road, Walton, and burglars also got into a building at Foundry Yard in the town.

Charity boxes for the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals and Children's Society were taken from Jacksons greengrocers, St Osyth Road, Clacton, and a window was broken.

A Bedford van has been taken from outside a Clacton shop following a break-in.

Thieves broke-in to the Best of Both Worlds, Oxford Road, Clacton, and took the van, registration F923 SJN.

Mad Hatters cafe in Cambridge Road was also entered overnight while soft drinks were taken from Master Bakers, St Johns Road, Clacton, following a burglary.

Insp Dave Appleby, of Clacton police, said in the case of the Mad Hatters cafe, the door had been kicked in and he appealed for anyone who heard or saw anything out of the ordinary to report it.

He said the police were still investigating and at the moment were not linking the spate of burglaries.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.