AN illegal traveller site was raided by police after a sting operation in response to a number of vehicle crimes - and two men were arrested.

Residents woke up as officers swooped in a dawn raid on Malvern Road, Little Thurrock, on Tuesday morning and watched on as police vans and cars surrounded the site.

Two men, 32 and 34, were arrested by Kent Police, who carried out the operation.

One resident said anonymously: “Why should we have to put up with criminal activity? We are living in fear and a number of people are on the verge of a nervous breakdown.”

Residents were woken up shortly after 6am when police cars and vans stormed the site.

Barking dogs alerted the residents to police activity, with one resident saying officers climbed over the wall after failing to break the lock on the site gate.

Rob Gledhill, Little Thurrock councillor and deputy leader of the Conservatives, said this was the last straw.

He said: “Residents have had to put up with a great deal of disruption including works on site being carried out and planning notices being breached.

“To be woken up by a number of police cars at the crack of dawn must be the last straw. The site owner said they want to stay on the land but a couple of weeks later someone is arrested for serious theft offences.”

A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Two men have been arrested by Kent Police on suspicion of vehicle related crime over the past eight months.

“Police enquiries are ongoing.”

The men have been released on conditional bail until further notice.