SQUATTERS were found sleeping in derelict garages after fed-up neighbours complained about antisocial behaviour and drug taking.

One homeless man wanted for a string of shoplifting offences was arrested after police and council officers raided the row of garages in Priors Close, off Long Riding, Basildon.

Two other rough sleepers who had broken into the garages in search of shelter were also found.

Following the raid, the abandoned garages have been secured with metal sheeting.

A grandmother-of-two, who lives in Priors Close, said she called the police and Basildon Council after growing increasingly concerned about large groups of people congregating at the site almost daily.

She said: “The people walk past my house, it’s horrible.

"I spoke to some of my neighbours and we said let’s do something about all this.

"I spoke to the department at Basildon Council which deals with antisocial behaviour and they have been down a few times.

"It was the council who put up the metal grating over the front of the garages to keep people out.

"I think they will just find somewhere else to go and it will carry on. I want to praise the council for their work on this problem they have been very helpful.”

A grandfather, of Priors Close, who did not want to be named, said he has even seen needles and syringes left near the garages.

He said: “People are frightened to walk their dog around this area in case their dogs pick something up.

"I think it is awful and we shouldn’t have to deal with things like this. I know that other residents are angry about this.”

Daniel Pritchard, 25, of no fixed abode, was arrested and charged with four counts of attempted theft and two counts of theft, all from Asda in Basildon's Eastgate Centre, after he was found in the garages.

He admitted the charges, which took place between Friday, April 29 to Wednesday, May 18, when he appeared at Basildon Magistrates Court on Friday.

Pritchard was jailed for 16 weeks and ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge.

A Basildon Council spokesman said the remaining two rough sleepers have been referred to homeless charity St Mungo's.

The spokesman added: "The council originally received a report about rough sleepers in council-owned garages in Priors Close off Long Riding in April.

"Since then our tenancy and estate management team have been working closely with the police to make the garages secure again"

PC Marek Jaworski, from Basildon Police, hopes the metal sheeting will solve the antisocial behaviour problems.

He said: "We had some reports of homeless people breaking into abandoned garages and sleeping in there.

"We went along with the council to securely seal up the garages. When we arrived there were three people there and we recognised one as wanted for a spate of shopliftings.

"As a result of complaints from members of the public about antisocial behaviour, the community policing team responded with council colleagues to secure the garages and remove the problem."