A GANG of robbers has been targeting teenagers in Hockley.

They strick twice on Wednesday afternoon when they demanded mobile phones.

The first attack happened as three teenagers were walking through an alleyway near Rosslyn Close at about 3.15pm when they were approached by five thugs.

They were asked the time and when they got out their mobile phones to look, the phones were taken from their hands. No force or threats were used during the incident so police are treating it as a theft rather than a robbery.

At around the same time, another schoolboy was approached by a group of five teenagers in nearby Selbourne Road. He again was asked the time and then the suspects demanded he handed over his phone. They pushed him up against a fence before taking it from his hand.

PC Chris Martin, of Southend police, is investigating the incidents. He said: “We have yet to take full statements from all of the victims so as yet we do not have full suspect descriptions. However it would seem that these offences are linked, due to the fact they happened so close together at around the same time.”

The group of suspects were all aged in their late teens, some were white and others were black. They were wearing sports clothing including jogging bottoms and hoodies.

Anyone with information about the robberies or the group of youths, who were hanging around near Greensward Academy at the end of the school day, is urged to contact PC Martin at Southend police station on 0300 3334444.