CROOKS smashed their way through a beauty salon wall during a £150,000 diamond heist at the neighbouring jewellers.

Detectives are appealing for information after jewellery, diamonds and precious gems were taken from Gold and Diamonds.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

Smash 'n' grab - the thieves entered through an adjoining salon

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

Damage - inside the salon

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

Way in - the thieves entered through a salon next door

Burglars broke into Fiona’s Beauty Salon on Furtherwick Road, Canvey, before smashing through the adjoining wall between 6pm on Saturday and 8am on Tuesday.

Harry Awidikian, 52, owner of Gold and Diamonds, apologised to his customers.

He said: “I partly blame myself and wonder if I could have been more careful.

“I will do my best to replace anything customers had left with me as soon as I can.

“I am just so sorry to all my customers.

“Items taken include loose diamonds, sapphires and emeralds.

“I could lose everything if people don’t trust me anymore.

“I want to do anything I can to make my customers happy.

“They are my main concern.

“I know it wasn’t my fault and could have happened to anyone but am so sorry.

“In February I lost my wife to cancer and now this.”

Salon owner Laura Barton said: “One of my staff members found the mess on the Tuesday.

“The front door was fine but when they got inside, they saw all the mess.

“They hammered through the wall to get into the jewellers, there was lots of rubble on the floor of our salon.

“We are obviously feeling devastated.

“There was so much mess.

“We then found out all the shelves were bare and had been emptied.

“They took everything that they thought had any value.

“They also ate food from our fridge while they were in our salon.”

Stock worth about £10,000 was stolen from the salon, including machinery.

It was forced to close temporarily.

She said the beauty business was forced to close for a few days as it had no stock.

The beautician said it then opened soon after with limited services.

She said: “We’ve had to order more stock such as nail varnish but most of our services are by the stolen machines.

“I am feeling angry after what’s happened.

“It feels like they knew what they were doing.

“It is also scary to think they knew they way around.

“The hole in the wall was made exactly where the jewellers has no shelves.”

Ms Barton said they are checking CCTV from other businesses.

A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed the gang of burglars fled with jewellery, cash, beauty machinery and beauty products.

PC Danielle Hutton, of Basildon CID, said: “We believe the suspects gained access to the beauty shop by climbing onto a roof at the rear of the property and have possibly driven off in a vehicle using Lionel Road.

“We would like to hear from anyone who saw or heard people acting suspiciously at either of these shops and we would urge people who drove past that day to check their dash cam footage.

“Additionally, I’d like to hear from anyone who may have been offered items such as gold and diamond jewellery or beauty products, including large quantities of nail varnishes.

“Please call Basildon CID on 101 quoting crime references 42/63085/19 (Gold and Diamonds) and 42/63160/19 (Fiona’s Beauty Shop) or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

Scene - the shops in Furtherwick Road, Canvey