Destructive thieves targeted a petrol station in the middle of the night.

The suspects entered the petrol station at Morrisons near Wycke Hill in Maldon and stole a large quantity of cigarettes from inside the store.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “The unidentified suspects have gained entry to the petrol station by smashing the glass in the door by means unknown and stealing cigarettes from within.”

The petrol station closes at 10pm every day.

The incident was reported at around 11.50pm on October 22, with the theft believed to have taken place around ten-minutes prior.

The supermarket chain has confirmed it is aware of the incident.

A Morrisons spokesman said: "Our petrol station was targeted by thieves in the middle of the night.

“We are now assisting the police with their enquiries.”

It is not the first time in recent memory an Essex petrol station has been targeted.

In July last year two men attempted to ram-raid the Shell garage in London Road, Black Notley in the early hours of the morning.

The suspects tied a rope around the cash machine inside and using a stolen Mercedes low-loader, tried to pull it out of the store.

The manager of the petrol station arrived the following morning to find bottles of alcohol smashed across the floor.

If you any information that may help police in their investigation, you should call 101 quoting crime reference 42/154467/18.

Alternatively, you can contact the crime charity, Crimestoppers UK 100 per cent anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or by reporting it online at crimestoppers-uk.org.