Police are searching for a gang of men who went on a spree of thefts across Essex totalling nearly £5,000.

The thefts started in Witham on Tuesday when the group of four men left Clarks shoe shop in the Grove Centre with a purse containing credit cards and £20.

They were next spotted in Martin's newsagents in North Road, Great Clacton, at 4.26pm where they attempted to distract the shop assistant and grab cash and phone cards from the till.

The gang went on to Argos, West Avenue, Clacton, where they smashed the back of a jewellery cabinet and made off with three pads of rings worth more than £4,000.

They headed off along West Avenue and police believe they may have got into a car - possibly a blue VW Golf registered from Barkingside, near Romford.

The group was next seen acting suspiciously in Essex Stores, High Street, Great Oakley, and afterwards it was found a box of mobile phone cards worth £735 had been stolen.

Insp David Appleby said police were linking the incidents and want anyone with information to contact them.

The first man is described as black, aged 23-24, wearing a blue jacket with a Nike logo, blue jeans and white trainers.

The second man was 18-19 with blond hair, with a dark padded jacket, dark tracksuit bottoms and trainers.

A third man was 6ft 1ins with blond hair, wearing a blue padded jacket with striped sides and an Adidas logo and the fourth man was white.

One of the gang wore a baseball cap and described as skinny and spotty.

Anyone with information should contact Clacton police on 01255 221312 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

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