A RAID on a food store on Canvey has sparked calls for a curfew across the whole island.

Essex Police are investigating after the Co-op store, in Canvey Road, was raided by crooks in the dead of night.

The crooks broke into the store shortly before 1.10am on Monday morning and fled with a haul of alcohol.

Residents reported on social media that the windows of the store had been broken.

The incident is the latest in a string of burglaries and robberies at the store, which only opened in the old King Canute building in August last year.

In November, a man wearing a hood entered the store and pulled out a knife, threatening one of the members of staff.

He then fled with less than £100 in cash in the direction of Edith Road.

There was also a theft from the store on January 16.

A business representative on Canvey Road, who wished to remain anonymous, said burglaries are a “constant problem” in the area.

The boss said: “Unfortunately we went through a constant phase of having a break-in, sorting out a claim, and then straight after we had someone else target us.

“It was a consistent cycle and it did nothing to help us. Our insurance keeps going up because we have to claim.

“Businesses will work extremely hard to get themselves up and running and then these people will come in and cause major problems.”

The individual added: “It’s just horrendous. There’s less police now, there’s less funding, they can’t react as quickly and these people know it.

“I think it would help to have a curfew across the whole island after a certain time.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Investigations are ongoing following reports of a burglary at a Co-op in Canvey.

“Several bottles of alcohol were taken from the store.

“Officers attended and searched the area but no property was recovered.”

Anyone with information about the incident should call 101 and quote incident 37 of 20/05.

People can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.