AN irate homeowner is more angry with the police than the crooks who tried raid his home after officers failed to show up for more than a week.

The man claims police failed to come, despite neighbours calling officers while the criminals were trying to smash in through the man’s front door.

A week on from the attempted break-in, the man, who does not wish to be named, said police still had not turned up.

The man was at work in London when he received a call to say the would-be thieves were on his doorstep, trying to get in by smashing a window in the door of his home in Winfields, Pitsea.

Neighbours called police, giving officers a detailed description of the two men and a woman, while they waited for officers to arrive.

The man left work and began his journey back to Pitsea.

More than an hour later, he was shocked when he got home to find police had still not arrived.

He said: “I was confronted with neighbours outside my property and my front entrance door smashed in with the property insecure. After three hours of waiting and further calls to the police, no one had still attended.”

Fed-up with waiting, the man began cleaning up his home, and placed the rock the crooks used to smash his window inaplastic bag to be collected for evidence.

However, seven days on from the attempted break-in, on Wednesday, August 21, the victim is still waiting for police to visit.

He added: “I am more angry and frustrated with the police than the burglars that no one has been in contact with me or attended my property to take all evidence away.

“This is without doubt the worst service I have received from the police and have now lost faith the police would attend, secure my property, and investigate.”

A police spokesman said: “We would like to apologise to the victim for any upset its response to this incident has caused him.

“Officers have spoken to him about his complaint and are progressing the investigation into the attempted burglary of his home.

“An arrest was made in connection with another reported burglary in the Basildon area on the same day and we are looking into any links to this case.”