A BURGLARY victim has spoken of his horror after discovering thieves had broken into his home while his son hid under the covers downstairs.

Mark Hoy’s ten-year-old son Finn was sleeping downstairs for the night when he was woken up by a group of burglars with torches on Sunday night.

Finn pretended to be sound asleep as the crooks rummaged around the downstairs rooms before stealing car keys and driving off in Mark’s car.

Mark, of Angelgate, Harwich, was later woken up by Finn at about 3am on Monday morning who told him how four people had broken into the house carrying torches.

Finn told his dad two of the thugs were standing at the bottom of the stairs keeping lookout and two were in the rooms downstairs.

Mark said: “Finn came upstairs to my room to wake me and tell me what happened.

“I came downstairs with him and saw the front door was open.

“I realised my son was not telling fibs or dreaming and the car keys were missing off the hook.

“I don’t know if they wanted to take anything or were looking for the car keys.”

The incident was one of several burglaries and vehicle thefts to happen in the area during the weekend.

Mark called the police at about 3.15am to report the burglary and his stolen car.

He said Finn kept really quiet and did not move when the thieves were in the house as he was scared.

Mark said: “It’s never happened to us before, but the neighbours have had mopeds stolen.”

During the day on Monday, Mark discovered through social media his silver Vauxhall Corsa was ditched near Asda in Dovercourt.

It is now being repaired.

An Essex Police spokesman said officers are investigating the burglary and car theft along with a series of others in the Harwich and Dovercourt area from the weekend.

He said: “If you have any information about the incident please call us on 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/18490/19.”

“If you have CCTV which you believe may be relevant to these crimes, or have witnessed any suspicious behaviour over the weekend, please get in touch with the investigation team via 101 and ask for Tendring CID.”

If you have been the victim of a crime call 101 or go online via essex.police.uk.