A HUNGRY thief has stolen food from a north Essex home.

The break-in at a property in Alton Park Road, Clacton, happened in the early hours of Friday morning.

At around 3am, the occupier of the home awoke because she heard noises downstairs.

She shouted out and a man ran out of the house via an unlocked conservatory door.

He took food from the kitchen including ham, cheese, cans of coke, cereal and cat food as well as a calculator and batteries.

The thief was wearing a black hoody and white trainers.

A second burglary happened in Alton Park Road at 10.20pm the same evening at another house.

The thief took two laptops, a TV and DVD player.

Witnesses or anyone with information should call DC Roger Henderson at Clacton CID on 101.