Great Bridge DIY shop raided by thieves stealing £15,000 of stock - and the store's CCTV cameras
"It's just terrible. The shelves were left bare and customers have been coming in to ask if we are closing down."
These are the words of the owner of Great Bridge DIY Ian Riar – whose shop was left trashed by thieves who stole £15,000 worth of stock – and also stole CCTV cameras after ripping them off the wall.
Tools ranging from sledge hammers, lock cutters and pricey electrical socket sets were taken by the raiders, who struck on Wednesday evening.
A gaping hole was left at the back of the premises after they had forced their way in.
Mounds of rubble, dust and broken bricks were left at the scene – with Mr Riar saying the clean-up and re-stocking could take days.
Around £5,000 in cash had also been taken from a drawer in the shop.
Mr Riar, who manages the shop alongside one other worker, said: "The shop is medium sized and has aisles with the tools on shelves.
"All this had been trashed on the floor when I came to open up on the morning.
"Following the raid I have tried to remain open but need to keep going out to re-stock," he said.
"If the shelves are empty then the customers won't be coming in and we'll loose even more money. They have done a lot of damage to our livelihood.
"Something needs to be done about this as it seems that crime is on the rise in the area.
"The money that was saved in the drawer we were going to spend on electrical gear the next day but that was taken too."
Police confirmed that a burglary had taken place at the shop, which is in New Road, Tipton, and was reported to them on Thursday morning.
They are investigating and appealing for any witnesses to contact them on telephone number 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
