Glass firm unable to operate after raiders steal safe and cash

Staff at Bloomsbury Glass Ltd in Kelvin Way, West Bromwich, said the computer and CCTV systems were torn out during the raid.

A safe containing business funds was stolen, and the burglars also went on a rampage causing extensive damage to the firm's offices.

The raid happened at 6.42pm on Sunday, September 11. While no staff were on the site at the time of the break-in, co-director Jas Rama was alerted to it when the security system was activated.

Mr Rama said: "I got a phone call from our security firm. When I heard my legs just gave way." He said he cannot be exactly sure how much money was in the safe at the time, as the system which monitors this was also wrecked in the burglary.

The firm also continues to be hit financially as until the servers are back up and running it cannot operate.

Account administration assistant Kish Uppal said: "We can't do anything. We are having to use our mobile phones because the office ones aren't working." She is also disheartened by the police response.

She said: "The break-in took place at 6.42pm and the police were called by our security firm at 6.45pm, again at 6.50pm, and again at 7.01pm. She added: "The police station is located less than half a mile from our premises. Had they responded to the first or second call they would have been able to arrest the culprits."

However a spokesman for West Midlands Police say they weren't called until much later. The spokesman said: "The call was received at 8pm and officers arrived at 10.40pm.

"It was classed as a routine response, rather than an immediate or early response, because the caller told the call operator that the break-in had happened some hours earlier and the offenders were not present."

Officers are conducting forensic and CCTV enquiries, and that no arrests have been made at this stage. Anyone with information should call police on 101.