TWO teenagers stole cash and e-cigarettes worth around £400 in a petrol station robbery. on Sunday The pair targeted Esso in Canvey High Street.

The two boys, thought to be in their early teens, demanded the money and went behind the till to steal the cash as well as the cigarettes.

Manager Brasanth Sivaraja said he felt sorry for the pair and hoped that they did not ruin their lives by turning to crime.

The 34-year-old store said: “They didn’t have any weapons and from what I saw on the CCTV there wasn’t really any arguments or anything like that.

“They took the box of ecigarettes with about £250 and about £150 in cash too. They just took it from the till after getting behind the counter.

I am angry but they are just kids and sometimes they do this.

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“I do not want this to affect the rest of their lives or future, we’ve got to stop this sort of thing and the young people falling into a life of crime.

“I am worried about this and we are still working to support the community. We have a lot of lovely customers.”

Mr Sivaraja said the community supports the shop if things happen like this, which means a lot to him and his staff.

The shop boss said the two youths demanded the staff handed over the cash.

He added: “I tell the staff to be nice to customers and not to fight things like this. I make sure they are polite to the customers. The staff did refuse to hand over the money but there was no argument and they were playing with the staff.

“They just took the money and e-cigarettes, and left.”

A worker also posted on Facebook about the robbery at the island store with images of the two people suspected of taking the items.

If you have any information, call Essex Police on 101.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.