Jewellers raids 'may be linked'

Police are investigating possible links between a series of raids on jewellers in Essex, Norfolk and Hertfordshire.

Officers in each of the counties have appealed for witnesses after robbers armed with sledgehammers targeted three shops, in one case stealing watches.

In each of the raids the men were dressed in boiler suits or hooded overalls and escaped in a waiting car.

Both Essex and Norfolk police said they would investigate whether there were connections between the incidents.

In the first, two men attempted to break into the front window display of Zelley jewellers in Market Square, Bishops Stortford, on Thursday.

They were armed with a sledgehammer and an industrial cutter but failed to break into the display and fled in a vehicle parked nearby.

The men were dressed in boiler suits and wearing safety goggles. The car was later found abandoned in Chantry Close.

This was an audacious attempt to break into the premises in full view of local shoppers Det Con Helen Richmond

On Friday, two men armed with sledgehammers attempted to rob a jewellers in High Street, Southend.

Staff at the store saw the men approaching and closed the shutters, causing them to run away.

A 20-year-old man from Southend was later arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to rob. He has been released on bail.

On Saturday, two robbers armed with sledgehammers entered Cox and Son Jewellers in Great Yarmouth and attacked a display containing watches.

They took a number of watches and escaped in a car which had been waiting nearby.

Det Con Helen Richmond, of Hertfordshire Police, appealed for witnesses to the attempted robbery in Bishops Stortford.

She said: "This was an audacious attempt to break into the premises in full view of local shoppers."

A Norfolk Police spokesman said officers would be looking for any common links.