A 16-year-old boy from Grays has been arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery in connection with an incident in Chafford Hundred in January.

A male was walking up the cycle path which leads to Saffron Road at about 1.40pm on Friday, January 31, when a man on a pink BMX approached him and asked for a cigarette.

The victim told him he did not have one and carried on walking.

The suspect then pulled out a knife and asked the victim for money. The victim told him he didn’t have any, and handed over his bag instead, but the robber did not take it.

They were then disturbed when a person walked round the corner and the suspect cycled off empty-handed.

The boy was arrested on Tuesday, February 4, and has been released on police bail pending further enquiries until Saturday, March 22.