THREE men wearing masks and armed with crowbars and a hammer raided a Tesco in Braintree.

The men entered the Tesco Express store on Coggeshall Road, Braintree, just before 11pm yesterday.

They demanded staff hand over cash and then made off with more than a thousand pounds.

The men were wearing dark clothing and face masks.

Investigations are now taking place to ascertain whether or not this incident is linked to several similar robberies in the Braintree District in recent months.

A Co-op store on Church Street, Bocking, was targeted by four men on December 16.

Another Co-op store on Abels Road, Halstead, was also targeted by masked raiders on January 17.

The Great Yeldham Post Office was also raided on January 5 by men using hand axes.

An armed robbery also took place at the Co-op store in the Broadway, Silver End, on January 23.

Officers from operation Scorpion, Essex Police’s dedicated serious and organised crime gang team, are working on the investigations of the previous incidents.

A Tesco spokesman said: "We are doing all we can to support our colleagues and are helping the police with their investigation."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Braintree CID on 101 quoting incident 995 of 09/02 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.