POLICE carried out stop-searches of men in Clacton in the hunt for a knife-wielding robber who targeted four teens on Friday and Saturday.

Detectives believe the same offender carried out an attempted robbery and a robbery on Friday evening, before committing two further robberies the following night.

One of the victims was a 12-year-old girl.

The attacks follow a spate of robberies in Clacton where teenagers have been targeted for their mobile phones.

On Sunday afternoon, officers carried out stop-checks on men who fitted the description of the assailant in Burrsville Park, St John’s Road, near Clacton Town Football Club and the surrounding areas.

Led by neighbourhood policing Inspector Dean Stratford, they also spoke to potential victims at shops and supermarkets in the area.

District Commander, Chief Insp Cat Barrie, said: “This is clearly a worrying series and it’s important that we all put an end to it with the arrest of this man.

“We need the community to be our eyes and ears on the ground, helping our undercover cops and highly-visible officers surround him with any sightings.”

The first incident occurred at around 5.30pm on Friday, when a teenage boy was approached by an older boy on Upper Branston Road.

A police spokesman said: "He threatened him with a knife while demanding he hand over his mobile phone.

"When the victim ran off the suspect chased him."

The assailant ran off empty handed towards the dead end near Stambridge Road when his would-be victim found a friend.

Shortly after 6.30pm that evening, a 17-year-old girl was approached by a man in woodland off Flatford Drive.

The spokesman added: "The man stole her mobile phone after threatening her with a knife.”

Just before 6pm on Saturday evening, a girl, 12 was walking through Burrsville Park with a friend when they were approached by a knife-wielding man who stole her phone.

The police helicopter searched the area, but could not locate the suspect.

The fourth robbery happened at 8pm on Ruaton Drive.

A woman, 18, had her arm grabbed by a man who forced her phone from her hand before running off.

Police have been given varying descriptions of the attacker, but all said he was white, around 5ft 11ins tall, skinny and in his late teens or early 20s.

Ch Insp Barrie urged youngsters and their parents to be “security conscious”.

Anyone with information should call detectives at Clacton police station on 101.