BURGLARS smashed their way into shops during a one-night crime spree on Canvey.

At least three businesses were broken into, with crooks making off with two tills and a small amount of cash.

The break-ins occurred between midnight and 1am on Wednesday morning with businesses in Furtherwick Road and Canvey Road targeted.

Sam Ive, owner of specialist dancewear shop Prima Dance, in Canvey Road, had her front door kicked in and the burglars took her till and around £15 cash. It was the second time the shop has been broken into in two years.

She said: “Something needs to be done about this, we’ve had to close for the day. The amount of burglaries around here has escalated.

“I feel 90 per cent of this is down to the fact there are no lights on after midnight.

“Driving to get to the shop last night I was terrified. I couldn’t see more than one or two metres in front of me.

“Fortunately it was a minimal float in the till, but the till itself is expensive and quotes I’ve been getting for the door are around £800.”

Furtherwick Wines, in Furtherwick Road, was also targeted by burglars kicking through the shop’s front door, but they ran off when they could not break through a second internal door.

Thieves managed to smash through the front window of hairdressers Sophisti-Cuts, also in Furtherwick Road, again leaving with the till.

Charlotte Lee has owned the salon for ten years and said this was the first break-in they had suffered.

She said: “I’ve heard from clients there are a lot of burglars about and we were only talking about it in the salon on Monday.

“Apparently two guys were seen outside the shop at around 1am.

“Glass was everywhere and they’d taken the till, it only had coppers in it, but they rummaged through our tip box as well.

“We’re boarded up and need to get the window replaced, but we’re still open, fortunately they didn’t take any scissors or equipment.”

A police spokesman said: “Police on Canvey are investigating two burglaries and an attempted burglary at shops in the early hours of Wednesday, March 25.

“Officers were called to Furtherwick Wines, in Furtherwick Road, at about 12.15am to reports that thieves were trying to break in to the premises.

“Officers were also called to Sophisti-Cuts, in Furtherwick Road, at around the same time and to Prima Dance, in Canvey Road, at around 1am to reports of burglaries.

“Inquiries are continuing and anyone with any information is asked to contact Essex Police on 101.”