CIGARETTES worth more than £1,000 were stolen in the third raid on a Colchester newsagent in two months.

Burglars struck at Martin’s, in St Christopher Road, at about 3am on Saturday, a shop previously hit on September 9 and September 27.

In all cases cigarettes and stamps worth thousands of pounds were stolen.

Shop manager Simon Ford said he had lost at least a day and a half in trade because of the break-ins.

He added: “It’s a pain. It’s not just the value of the goods stolen. It’s the lost hours, as well as the fact we can’t do anything until scenes of crime police have been in to investigate.

“With the first two break-ins, we couldn’t open until noon and with Saturday’s, we didn’t open until 10am.”

He said his company was now considering putting bars across the windows to protect the stock.

He added: “It will make the shop less attractive, but what else can they do?”

Residents on the St John’s estate have raised fears about an increase in burglaries in the area in the past two months.

A total of £3,000 of jewellery and electrical goods were taken from two homes at the end of August – one in St Bernard Road, and the other in Dunthorne Road.

A diamond engagement ring worth thousands of pounds and two TV sets were also stolen from a house in St John’s Road between September 24 and 29 while the householder was on holiday.

Ward councillor Paul Smith said: “It is certainly concerning. It is the third incident at that location.

“It was raised at the Neighbourhood Action Panel and we have asked the police to let us know what they are doing about it, as it looks like copycat break-ins.”

However, police insist there has been no discernible increase in the number of burglaries in the area.

A spokesman said: “Officers are not aware of any particular increase in burglaries in the St John’s area specifically.

“There has been a recent spate in the lower Greenstead area and patrols have been increased as a deterrent.

“The advice to residents continues to be the same – to keep windows and doors locked when out, or asleep.”