BURGLARS stole cash and jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds during a raid on a Rayleigh home.

The intruders smashed open a rear door to break into the house in Downhall Park Way, stealing three safes containing cash and jewellery worth a five figure sum.

Among the stolen jewellery was a gold diamond Cartier watch with a cream rectangular face, a grey and gold ladies Rolex watch with a white face and a pearl necklace.

Karen Orwell, Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for Canterbury Close, off Downhall Park Way, and was shocked to hear of the theft.

She said: “It concerns me greatly. I was away that weekend but my husband was home, you would think someone would’ve seen something if they were carrying out three safes.

“I’ve been here for 20 years and there has never been much.

“I hadn’t heard about this at all and there have been no notifications for incidents in Downhall Park Way recently from Essex Community Messaging, so this is a shock.”

Martin Reade, owner of Michael Clark jewellers, in Church Street, Rayleigh, said police had not told him to be on the lookout for stolen jewellery.

But he added that burglaries in the town are not uncommon.

Mr Reade said: “I get three or four people a week coming in for replacement valuations because they’ve had something stolen – and that’s just for one jewellers in the town.

“We hear about people coming down the train line, burgling places here then sending whatever they’ve stolen back to PO Boxes for them to collect later – so that if they get stopped somewhere then they’ve got nothing on them.

“I buy gold but we can only do our own checks when people bring it in – we never buy from kids and we always take addresses for people, but unfortunately theft seems to be a part of life for some people nowadays.”

The incident took place at about 5.30pm on Saturday, February 20.

Anyone who has been offered these items for sale or who has any information about the burglary is asked to call DC Keith Draycott at Rayleigh CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.