RESIDENTS in Heybridge are insisting something needs to be done after a masked gang stole thousands of pounds from a Heybridge bookmakers in an armed raid.

Three men entered Coral, on The Street.

The trio were dressed in black and wearing balaclavas.

One of the men was armed with a hammer and demanded money from the staff at the shop.

Thousands of pounds worth of cash was taken before all three men left the scene on foot.

The same bookmakers was targeted in 2015 as men armed with a machete stole tens of thousands of pounds from the business.

An eyewitness saw the group fleeing.

He said: “I was walking down the road in the evening and saw three men run out and a lot of shouting. I didn’t understand what was going on at first, it was just a blur.

“It is terrible what happened. It isn’t the first time it has been hit either.

“The only positive thing is that as far as I’m aware nobody was hurt by these scum.

“It is absolutely disgusting, it makes me so angry.

“These are good people just trying to work and earn a living, they shouldn’t have to be afraid of attacks like this.”

Following the attack residents say they hope action is being taken to find a way to prevent more incidents.

Jess Simmons, of Heybridge, said she was frightened by the attack and wondered what could be done to stop it.

She said: “It is very worrying to think that people like that are coming to Heybridge to do this sort of thing.

“I would be disgusted if they turned out to be from Heybridge.

“It is the third one recently, I think. I remember reading about something in Burnham a few months back, then there was a ram raid not long ago, and a couple of ram raids on post offices too.

“I don’t what the answer is or what can be done to solve the problem.

“You always get calls for more police on the streets but I have seen five police cars drive past today alone.

“I really do not know how to stop it, I just hope someone does because it is terrible having this sort of thing happening around here.”

Anyone with information about what happened at 8pm last Wednesday should contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.