A father-of-three has called for more to be done into the spate of brick thefts after waking on Sunday morning to find a large hole in his garden wall.

Ilford Recorder: Sikander Rashid's damaged wallSikander Rashid's damaged wall (Image: Archant)

Sikander Rashid, 57, of Ashgrove Road, Goodmayes, has twice been the target of vandals who steal the high-valued bricks to sell on.

Pre-war houses and walls - constructed between 1890 and 1940 - often contain the valuable red or yellow stock bricks.

Mr Rashid said: “More should be done as it makes the structure of the wall unsafe, it could fall on someone.”

“It is quite annoying,” he added. “I thought if I got done once, they would not come again.

Ilford Recorder: Joseph Le-litte's wall after brick thieves targeted it.Joseph Le-litte's wall after brick thieves targeted it. (Image: Joseph Le-litte)

“My children came in from a late night out on Saturday around 1.30am and by 7am on Sunday the bricks were taken.”

The father-of-three was first targeted in March on the same day as Joseph Le-litte, 51, of Felbrigge Road, Goodmayes.

“I had my wall rebuilt two weeks ago,” said Mr Le-litte, “I heard the noise but didn’t know what was going on. I thought it was neighbours throwing rubbish away.

“Right now I am paranoid, any noise and I am looking out the window.”

Ilford Recorder: Joseph Le-Litte with his rebuilt wallJoseph Le-Litte with his rebuilt wall (Image: Archant)

Two days after the men were first targeted on Thursday, March 8, Mr Le-litte said he heard the noise again and a red post office type van with a padlock driving away.

He reported the incident to the police but says he was told in a letter there was not much that could be done.

Mr Le-litte said: “I was so annoyed when the letter came.”

He added the letter said if similar incidences occurred he should call the police who could step up foot patrols.

“We should have CCTV,” said Mr Le-litte. “Because these streets are back roads, there is less traffic and going down them makes us more vulnerable.”

The Recorder highlighted the issue in March after several roads, including Percy Road, Eastwood Road, Douglas Road, Wellwood Road, Atholl Road and Charlbury Gardens, were targeted.

Redbridge police confirmed it was looking into the issue and have been approached for an update into its investigation.