THREE arrests have been made with an SUV seized after a spate of ram raids targeting businesses across Basildon.

Detectives have been carrying out lengthy enquiries into a spate of incidents where a car was rammed into businesses across the borough in the past week, with the most recent ram raid on Tuesday.

Thanks to police enquiries including forensics and officers scouring CCTV following these seven incidents, a vehicle was seized today and three men, all from Basildon and aged in their 30s, have been arrested.

Four separate shop owners reported their businesses being driven into in the early hours of the morning on Friday after the initial ram raid at Ramsdens Pawnbrokers in Town Square in the early hours of last Monday, where the shopfront was severely damaged.

Result - The vehicle seizedResult - The vehicle seized (Image: Essex Police)

Businesses impacted were in locations including Ballards Walk, Wrexham Road, Austen Road and Britannia Court, and included takeaway restaurants or shops.

All incidents took place in the early hours of the morning, between 3am and 5am, and typically involved a vehicle, reportedly a silver SUV, being driven into shops.

Suspects would then attempt to gain access to the properties.

Similar incidents later took place in the early hours of Saturday at a business in Gardiners Way, and at around 6pm on Tuesday at a unit in Repton Court on the Burnt Mills industrial estate.

Three men, aged 30, 35 and 36, all from Basildon, remain in custody for questioning on suspicion of burglary.

Damage - the shopfront was smashedDamage - the Ramsdens Pawnbrokers shopfront was smashed (Image: Newsquest) Detective Sergeant Sandy Kelleher, of Basildon Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We would always take any offending impacting upon our businesses very seriously, but these reports were of a particularly concerning nature.

“Our officers will remain in contact with the businesses impacted by these incidents, which we are treating as linked at this stage.

“We have worked hard, across a number of teams, to reach the point of making three important arrests.

“This work will continue to ensure we prevent a repeat of such offending and to ensure anyone involved is brought to justice.

“I would continue to appeal for anyone with any information which could assist us to come forward.”

Anyone with information should contact Essex Police as soon as possible at essex.police.uk or by calling 101.