FEARFUL business owners and shop workers have been left wondering whether “they will be next” after the latest in a series of town centre raids.

In the latest break-in, thieves smashed a window at Turners Fashion clothing store in Crouch Street, Colchester, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The owners reported a “large” amount of CP Company and Stone Island clothing was stolen in the raid.

It followed break-ins at John Michael’s hairdressing and Collector’s Cave in Eld Lane, Colchester, as well as a burglary at Alter Ego hair salon, in Church Street.

The week before, burglaries at Eld Lane businesses Cafe Salla and Darcy’s Sweet shop left businesses calling for drastic action.

Thieves riding a motorcycle also carried out a day-time raid on Chimes watch repair, in Trinity Street last month.

Sophie Law, of Crouch Street News, near Turners, said: “We have good security here, with big shutters we can bring down, they have saved us from being hit. “There was glass everywhere on the floor and around the street. “The owner was there early in the morning cleaning the place.

“This morning, a regular customer came in while we were opening up to say he’d left his car somewhere in town and it had been broken into.

“Mango Hair Salon, just down the road were hit recently.

“It is worrying, especially when it is down the street as you keep thinking ‘Are we going to be next?’

“I just don’t want to come in one day to find the place broken into.

“There is very little we can do when it happens at 4am when no-one is here.”

Another Crouch Street business owner, who asked not to be named, said shop owners must heighten security.

“Every shop owner must take their own precautions to protect their property,” she said.

“Decent CCTV would help, as well as a greater police presence.

“We need to be given a feeling of security, some feeling the police will respond if asked.”

“This kind of news drags everyone down.

“This is only a small element of what happens in town, people shouldn’t think it is the sort of place where you aren’t safe.”

Jim Carmen, who owns Collector’s Cave, in Eld Lane, Colchester, lost hundreds of pounds worth of stock and is due to replace a second window after two break-ins in the space of a week.

“I thought about jacking it all in after Friday morning, £300 on windows every two weeks is just crazy. We will keep going, I have decided to leave the window boarded until they catch someone.”

Anyone with information can call Essex Police on 101.