POLICE armed with dogs and guns have arrested three men during dawn raids at homes across Basildon

The men, aged 25, 38, and 49, were arrested on suspicion of robbery and attempted murder, during raids on two homes in Rayside, Basildon at 5.30am this morning. 

The arrests come after a shopkeeper was blasted in the chest with a sawn-off shot gun during a robbery at Show Supermarket in Plaistow, east London on Halloween. 

The men, aged 25, 38 and 49, all from Basildon are currently in custody at a police station in north London. 

Detectives also executed search warrants at homes in Crown Close, Pitsea and Brownlow Green, Basildon as part of the operation. 

The arrests were made by the Metropolitan Police's Flying Sqaud, a specialist armed team that investigates armed robberies.

They were assisted by officers from Essex Police

The 51-year-old shopkeeper, was in a coma for two weeks following the incident in October. 

He has been left with "life changing" injuries and has been unable to go back to work. 

Enquiries and searches are ongoing.