IN the wake of an increased number of armed robberies in the region, police have formed a crack, cross county, squad to investigate the crimes.

Recently robbers struck at Oduduwa in Calcutta Road, Tilbury, where they threatened the terrified assistant with a silver firearm before running off with cash.

And on Wednesday, January 19, also in Tilbury, a lone gunman held up staff at Asda's petrol station and stole several hundred pounds.

Now a team of top detectives from Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, have formed a joint unit under the name 'Operation Arctic' to trawl through nearly 70 gun-related incidents, 19 of them in Essex.

The team of detectives is based in an inquiry room in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, in a bid to improve the exchange of intelligence between the forces.

Det Chief Insp George Barr, who is heading the team, said: "Working in the same room and holding joint briefings and meetings will help us greatly in finding out who is responsible for these offences."

Mr Barr added: "Criminals pay no attention to police borders and in this case it is best for us to work together to help crack the problem."