A TEENAGE boy was robbed at knifepoint at a busy train station.

The victim, aged 17, was robbed in Basildon sometime between 4pm and 4.20pm on Thursday February 7.

Two men approached the teenager at Basildon train station off Cherrydown East, Basildon.

One of the men threatened him with a knife.

They told him to withdraw three hundred pounds and the pair of crooks made off with the cash and also took his Apple iPhone Seven.

The incident at Basildon train station follows a spate of robberies, some of which were at knifepoint, at and near train stations in south Essex.

In the past ten days, the Echo has reported a number of incidents – all of which have been in the vicinity of train stations – where people have been robbed by gangs.

The first incident was on Monday, January 28, when a woman was robbed by two men armed with a hammer on the footbridge near Southend East station.

Then, on Monday February 4, there were three incidents reported in the space of an hour each at Southend East, Thorpe Bay and Shoebury station.

The man robbed near Shoebury was threatened with a knife.

Most recently was the armed mugging of a man in Ambleside Drive last Wednesday in broad daylight.

The incidents have caused concern in the community and seen calls for extra police patrols in Southend.

Essex Police has not ruled out a potential link between the several incidents which saw people targeted by knife wielding thugs.

Essex Police said the force will be working with the British Transport Police and increasing patrols in the area around Southend East station after three incidents in the space of ten days.

Officers are now appealing for help from the public as part of investigations into the incident in Basildon.

Anyone who witnesses the armed robbery at the station or has any information about the incident is being urged to to call 101 quoting incident 1160 of February 7.