Big bother

FEARING for his future: Mohammad Akhlaq

Phone-shop owner’s fresh plea for security after latest break-in
A DISTRAUGHT business owner has renewed his plea for ramped-up security after his phone shop was raided for a second time in five months.

When Mohammad Akhlaq Mirza was stabbed by a knife-wielding robber in September, he discovered a towering CCTV camera, just yards from his shop on Tommyfield Market, was not in use.

Mohammed fitted security cameras inside Fonezone but even they were stolen in this week’s raid which saw the shop ransacked and thousands of pounds worth of phones and accessories swiped.

Now he’s once again pleading for something to be done to safeguard his livelihood — and his life.

Assessing the damage, Mohammad (52) said: “I was still shocked when I walked in, but people have stolen things before. It’s getting so hard to run this business, I felt awful after I was stabbed but I came back to the shop to make a go of it and now this has happened.

“Nothing has changed since the last time, the cameras on the cctv tower still don’t work and security is still low. This will happen again and again if nothing is done.”

Three cabinets of mobile phones were cleared by robbers, who also helped themselves to cases, chargers, batteries and unlocking devices at some point between the shop closing at 5.30pm on Tuesday and 9.25am yesterday.

Police attended the scene where stock was strewn across the floor.

Mohammad added: “I’ve been stabbed, stolen from and raided, what next?

“I need the council to step up security, I’ve done my part.

“I installed locked doors, made the cabinets higher and fitted cameras for my own protection inside the shop — which were actually stolen in the raid.

“I’ll try to go ahead and carry on but I am looking to move my business elsewhere.

“I was told it was too expensive to replace the cameras, to me it seems they are putting money before safety.”

Security guards patrol the market from the early hours until stalls and shops have closed at 6.30pm.

Anyone with information should call police on 0161- 856 8951, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555 111.