Three men have been arrested as part of an investigation into the theft of £640,000 worth of stolen vehicles.

As part of an intelligence-led operation, officers from Essex Police's stolen vehicle intelligence unit, the operational support group and the dog section attended a unit in Charfleets Industrial Estate, off Shannon Way, Canvey.

The raid took place at about 10am on Wednesday (May 24).

During a search of the unit, police found evidence and items of significance to the investigation, including vehicles which had been reported as stolen from London, Surrey, Thames Valley and Essex.

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Three men, all aged in their 20s, were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods after police surrounded the venue.

They have been released on conditional bail until August while the investigation continues. It will be led by detectives in the force's Canvey criminal investigation department.

PC Paul Gerrish, of the stolen vehicle intelligence unit, said: “This investigation is very much connected to organised crime and this operation is just one element of that.

“At the stolen vehicle intelligence unit, we are determined to target organised vehicle crime in all its forms and we work with partner forces across the country in order to do that.”