POLICE are hunting two men who stole £250,000 worth of diamonds in a robbery outside a jeweller's.

POLICE are hunting two men who stole £250,000 worth of diamonds in a robbery outside a jeweller's.

The men pounced on a 36-year-old Belgium man as he left the jeweller's in High Road, Loughton, Essex, at about 6pm last night.

As the man left the shop one of the robbers punched him in the face before they grabbed his briefcase containing the diamonds and escaped.

Essex Police today appealed for help in tracking the men. They urged anyone who was offered diamonds for sale in “suspicious circumstances” to contact them.