THREE men from the Brentwood area have been charged and remanded to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates Court today following detailed enquiries by detectives from Chelmsford CID into a burglary which occurred in Southminster.

They were arrested in Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, at about 1.30pm on Friday, January 9 after police were called to a property in Kings Croft, Southminster, following reports of a burglary in progress.

An imitation firearm was used to threaten the occupants of the property and cash was stolen.

They made off from the scene in a grey Ford Mondeo. No one was injured.

Police officers including a dog unit and the police helicopter tracked the three suspects and firearms officers made the arrests.

Ricky Cox, 22, unemployed, of Stuart Close, Pilgrims Hatch, James Hyde, 22, a labourer from Lancaster Close, Pilgrims Hatch, and Pio Evans, a 23-year-old gardener of Woodland Avenue, Hutton, were charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary.

Police are grateful for the support from members of the public in dealing with criminal activity. Anybody with any information about suspicious behaviour is urged to contact police on 101 or they can do it via independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.