SIX men will appear in court charged with conspiring to steal Ford transit vans worth £70,000.

The vans were found at a site in Wickford in October 2013.

The six men were snared following an operation by Essex Police.

The men are Joe Higgs, 20, from Stephenson Avenue, Tilbury, Warren Hampshire, 19, from Laird Avenue in Grays, Ryan Lee, 24, from Russell Road, Tilbury, Danny Garwood, 29 from Josling Close in Grays, Sam Nicholls, 28, from Godman Road, Chadwell St Mary and Jay Cartwright, 25, from Haig Road in Chadwell St Mary.

They are all charged with conspiring to steal motor vehicles and will appear at Basildon Magistrates Court on May 15.