CROOKS spoilt the Halloween fun for a number of families while they were out trick-or-treating.

A cauldron of sweets was stolen from outside a home in Stable Close, Stanway, while the family was out collecting sweets themselves.

The mum said: “We were out ourselves between 5.30pm and 7pm and we came home to find the whole cauldron was taken.

“Then the next morning when my partner had gone outside to go to work he noticed our pumpkins had been stolen.”

Halloween decorations were also stolen from a house in Cowdray Avenue, Colchester and a pumpkin was stolen from another house in the Stanway area.

A resident also hopes other victims will come forward after her car was vandalised on Halloween.

The resident of Hazell Avenue, Colchester, called the police after her tyre was slashed and a substance thrown over her car.

The incident happened between 7pm on Thursday and 7am on Friday when yoghurt or cream was thrown over the blue Ford Focus.

Call Essex Police on 101 with information.