MOUNTED police took to the streets to target a rise in daytime burglaries.

Officers in Loughton joined their counterparts in the Essex Police mounted section to patrol the streets as a high-visibility presence to ward off day burglars.

During the operation 20 people were stopped and two were given a warning for possessing cannabis.

Loughton Inspector Tom Simons said: “Our success at targeting criminals stealing from homes overnight has seen a movement in the times the burglaries are now occurring. We have recently seen an increase in daytime burglary offences in the Loughton and Debden areas. I would encourage residents to be extra vigilant throughout the day and to report anything suspicious to us.”