A GANG of troublesome youths have been accused of “blazing a trail of destruction” around a housing estate in Basildon after at least five cars were broken into in one evening.

Police officers and crime scene investigators were called to the Craylands estate multiple times last week after yobs smashed passenger side windows and rifled through glove boxes.

It is understood that nothing of any value has been stolen and police are baffled as to why the gang are damaging cars for little gain.

Last Monday, residents in Chichester Close, Wells Gardens, Southwark Path, Hereford Walk and Lincoln Road woke to find that their cars had been targeted by vandals.

Cars in Hereford Walk and Lincoln Road had also been targeted a week earlier.

Crime scene investigator Vikki Jones, who works from Basildon police station, urged residents to check their cars and give them any information which will lead to the offenders being caught.

She said: “There have been a lot of cars being broken into on the Craylands estate.

“We have had a spate in the past week where they are smashing the front passenger window and searching the glove box.

“However, they are not really taking much.

“We don’t really know what they are looking for, it just seems to be for small change and sat navs.

“We think that a gang are just walking through the estate, smashing car windows.

“I would ask for people not to leave anything in the car of any value overnight or on show.”

Craig Parker, 36, a plumber, who lives in Southwark Path, said his car window was smashed just for a handful of spare change.

He said: “I went to my car to go to work on the Monday morning and the window had been smashed, there was glass everywhere.

“Apparently they have been going around smashing windows on the estate, they are just blazing a trail of destruction.

“I don’t keep anything in my car so all they could find were some coins in the glove compartment.

“It’s so frustrating.”

Anyone with information about the spate of thefts and criminal damage can call Essex Police on 101 or crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously.

Alternatively they can visit crimestoppers-uk.org to fill out an anonymous online form.