ASIAN families across north Essex are being urged to be vigilant after being targeted by burglars for their jewellery.

Jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds has been stolen from a homes across north Essex.

In one case, two men broke into a property in Laburnum Crescent, Kirby Cross, at around 2.30pm on July 19 and threatened a 25-year-old man with a knife and what appeared to be a gun before stealing jewellery.

The victim attempted to stop the men but was sprayed in the face with an unknown substance, causing irritation to his face.

Det Insp Jim White said the burglars are believed to target specific homes and are generally ignoring possessions such as valuable electrical items.

He added: “Asian traditions have always placed a strong emphasis on jewellery and investing in gold is a time-honoured practice as it plays an important role in many religious festivals as well as significant family occasions, with many items handed down through generations.

“These are not just valuable possessions, they are also of great sentimental worth and are a huge loss to their owners if such jewellery is taken.

“The spate of burglaries we have seen recently is a real concern for me and while we are doing everything we can to identify the criminals responsible, it’s also very important that residents do as much as possible to protect their property.”

There were 13 burglaries between May and July, in Colchester, Saffron Walden, Witham, Braintree, Chelmsford, Heybridge, Kirby Cross and three attempted burglaries.

Residents have been advised to keep any high value items in a safe deposit box or bank, to take pictures of their jewellery and  to invest in CCTV and burglar alarms wherever possible.

When wearing jewellery in public, particularly during wedding season and religious holidays, residents should consider keeping their jewellery hidden until they get to the venue.

Det Insp White said: “As criminals are believed to scope areas for homes that could be potential targets, I ask people to be aware of anybody acting suspiciously. If you are in any doubt, call police.

“Any information will help with our investigations into identifying and bringing those responsible for these burglaries to justice.”

Anyone requiring more advice on home security can contact their local crime prevention advisor on 101 or visit www.essex.police.uk.