BURGLARS stole up to 50 mobile phones from a shop after smashing a hole in an adjoining wall and climbing through.

The thieves raided the Carphone Warehouse stockroom, in Billericay’s High Street, after first breaking into neighbouring Costa by cutting a padlock.

They then tore open a hole in the plasterboard, connecting the businesses, and climbed inside to steal the haul of electronic goods.

Mike Dewhirst, assistant manager at Costa, said the raiders cut open a padlock to get inside the cafe.

He said: “They must have known what they were doing, it seems very planned.

“The alarm sensor was pulled off the wall.

“Nothing was taken but obviously they damaged the walls and the alarm.

“We were back up and running from Saturday morning. We got the alarms reset and the holes were patched up.”

It is understood that most - if not all- of the phones have been recovered after being seized later that same day.

Crime scene investigators were called to the shops to try and find fingerprints and DNA evidence belonging to the culprits.

Vikki Smith, a crime scene investigator, said: “My colleague Victoria and I went down to the scene and I have been examining evidence from the phones that were recovered.

“We got some footwear marks from the scene because they got some plasterboard on their shoes as they were climbing through.

“I am hoping that the evidence we have got will mean we will be able to get the burglars.”

An Essex Police spokesman said that four people had been arrested on suspicion of burglary.

He said: “Officers were called just before 5.30am on Saturday to reports of a break-in at the Carphone Warehouse store in the High Street, Billericay. Officers attended and found someone had forced their way into the rear of the Costa Coffee shop next door and then gained entry to the Carphone Warehouse. Between 40 and 50 mobile phones had been taken.

“Four people – a 30-year-old man, a 48-year-old man, a 21-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl – have been arrested on suspicion of burglary.

“They have been released on bail until Saturday, November 26 pending further inquiries.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously..