A man and a woman were threatened by armed robbers who stole Rolex watches and other valuables.

Three men broke into a property in Loughton Lane, Theydon Bois, shortly after 5.20am on Tuesday (September 20).

Two people were threatened with weapons before the robbers made off with Rolex watches, jewellery, iPhones, and more.

The suspects were dressed in black tracksuits, aged in their mid-20s and were wearing hooded tops. 

Essex Police believe they left in the Loughton direction. 

Neither of the victims were seriously injured and both are being supported by officers.

Police say they have launched a "fast paced" investigation.

Detective Inspector Tony Atkin said: “Incidents such as this will naturally cause concern within the community, but I would say that our enquiries to date suggest this was an isolated incident and there is no wider risk to the Theydon Bois community. 

“While in its infancy, this is a fast-paced investigation, and we are following a number of lines of enquiry in order to identify suspects and make arrests. 

“I would encourage anyone who was in the area at the time and may have seen, or have of dashcam footage of, cars driving in Loughton Lane between 4.45am and 5.30am on Tuesday 20 September to get in touch.” 

Anyone with information on the incident can visit www.essex.police.uk or call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/