VULNERABLE young people on Canvey have been targeted by thieves who stole cash, food vouchers and camera equipment from a support group.

The Canvey Island Youth Project’s drop-in centre, in Long Road, was broken into in the middle of the night by a gang of vandals who forced open an aluminium yellow door and ransacked the premises.

The project offers help to people aged from 11 to 25 who struggle with homelessness, unemployment, education and drug and alcohol addiction.

Alex Dobinson, 48, the manager of the project, said it was upsetting for the people using the project who are losing out because of the theft.

She said: “It is depressing when people take what they do not need when we are just trying to help people.

“They prised the yellow door open. The guy who got through must have been quite small because the space was not very big.

“They completely trashed the place.”

The thieves got away with a wad of cash, vouchers from Morrisons and camera equipment that was used to film youth dance group Next Level’s performance at the War Memorial Hall in High Street.

The project do not normally keep money or equipment inside the drop-in centre, but happened to leave the goods inside overnight on Tuesday because of a performance which had taken place earlier in the evening.

Alex said that the theft of the equipment that the young troupe use to film their performances has dealt them “a huge blow”.

She added: “For the young people involved in the show, it has been horrible for them.

“They were raising money to be able to keep going, it has not all gone but most of it we have lost.”

It is believed that the break-in happened at about midnight on Tuesday.

The vouchers from Morrisons were intended to be given to people who do not have enough money to buy food for themselves or their families.

Alex contacted police as soon as she noticed the break-in yesterday morning.

CCTV operates in the area however it did not show on anything that could help to identify the people who broke in.

So far, no arrests have been made.

Anyone with information can help by calling Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously.