Boss defiant after phone shop raid
Yobs used a sledgehammer to break into a mobile phone shop in Wolverhampton and steal thousands of pounds worth of stock, the devastated owner revealed today.
Expensive software and 18 mobile phones worth almost £3,000 were taken during the raid on the themobyshop.com in High Street, Bilston.
The gang smashed through the wall at the back of the shop to get inside and grab the stock.
Owner Inder Singh spoke of his devastation today, saying the raid could have cost him his business. But he also vowed to stay open.
"It feels like someone has ripped the insides out of me," Mr Singh said. "I've worked hard here for the last three years and for this to happen is just devastating."
Mr Singh, aged 33, who launched the firm three years ago, discovered the burglary himself.
"I came in on the morning to open the shop and I discovered what had happened," he said.
"They had got into the shop by breaking down the back wall with some sort of sledgehammer I presume.
"These people took a lot of my software and customers' phones that were being repaired. They also took one of my phones which contained photographs of my children. I'm devastated." The father of two, who lives in Wolverhampton, said the burglary had forced him to step up security at his store.
"I've fitted the shop with an alarm which is linked to the police," he said. "It's cost me quite a bit but I need to do it.
"I didn't think this was ever going to happen to me.
"My family has tried to persuade me to close the shop and move somewhere else but I don't want to.
"This could have cost me my business but I work hard here and sometimes work seven days a week. It's my livelihood." West Midlands Police spokeswoman Joanne Hunt said: "The incident was reported to the police just after 10am on July 9.
"The thieves had smashed their way through the rear of the shop and taken 18 mobile phones worth £2,000 and software worth £700.
"They escaped and inquiries are ongoing." The raid happened some time between 5.30pm on July 8 and 9.30am on July 9.
The wall smashed by the thieves is being repairied this week, added Mr Singh.
He said: "I opened this shop from scratch and I'm still open for business."
