A MAN allegedly posed as a prospective home buyer in order to steal tens of thousands of pounds worth of jewellery.

Detectives investigating a series of thefts arrested a man on Monday in connection with three reported crimes in Rochford, Rayleigh and Westcliff.

The first is said to have happened in Rochford when estate agents met a man at a house near Sutton Road Cemetery on the evening of Tuesday, April 2.

Two Cartier watches, worth more than £20,000, were stolen.

The second theft allegedly happened in Rayleigh, when a £7,000 watch was stolen from a house off Great Wheatley Road, on Wednesday, April 24.

On both occasions,aprospective buyer was allowed to walk around the house unaccompanied, according to police.

* William Flynn, 36, was arrested at Southend’s Garon Park on bank holiday Monday and subsequently charged with two counts of burglary relating to the Rochford and Rayleigh offences, as well as a £6,000 jewellery theft in Chalkwell Avenue, Westcliff, on Saturday, June 8.

The labourer, of no fixed address, was detained in police custody and appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court yesterday