Traders are left living in fear by burglary spree
TRADERS on a parade of town centre shops are living in fear of criminals making their lives and livelihoods a misery.
Shop owners on Accrington’s Blackburn Road - already battling quieter high streets through to the pandemic - are facing an equally insidious menace.
Thieves have been wreaking havoc and causing “unbelievable” damage, often in futile thwarted break-in attempts. Police say they have increased patrols in the area.
Gadget shop owner Tahir Quddus, known as Taz, says there had been several attempted break
Shops on Blackburn Road, Accrington, are being plagued by break-ins ins at his store, including two in September.
“It’s an ongoing thing,” he said. “I’ve probably been targeted now about five times in the last two months. It’s getting ridiculous now. You won’t believe how much lead they’ve stolen off these buildings.
“The amount of damage they have caused is unbelievable.
“This used to be a bank and it’s very hard to get in.
“They smashed the window at the back, but they couldn’t get in because of the metal bars.
“I’m at my wits’ end. It’s come to the stage where I cannot even open up that long anymore.
“I’m spending that much money on the security side of things.”
Traders think responsible live those locally, but despite reporting incidents and talk of a neighbourhood watch scheme, many feel helpless and pessimistic about what can be done to improve their plight.
Taz says the problems do not stop at break-ins, and says his doorstep has been urinated on.
“This area has actually been run down because of them,” he said.
“Nobody likes to come around here. I’ve only been here for a year and a half.
“I moved over here because I got burgled in the previous shop. Every single shop has been targeted on this road.”
The owner of nearby gents hair salon 333 Barbershop, who did not want to be named, told a similar story.
He the
Observer:
“They’ve cracked one of the doors near the lock, and tried to break in at the back. They keep doing it, and they’ve also done it to a few takeaways on the street. It’s just getting to the point that it’s getting too much. We cannot keep fixing the doors. We are losing money just fixing doors.”
Last month Hassan Zaheer, of the Mobilink phone repair shop, told us he felt ‘helpless’. He said offenders had gained access via the roof while they had scaffolding up to carry out shopfront improvements under the council-backed Townscape Heritage Initiative project.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “We are aware of break-in attempts in the Blackburn Road area of Accrington.
Enquiries are ongoing and reassurance patrols have been stepped up in the area.”
Hyndburn council leader Miles Parkinson said dialogue is ongoing on the matter with the police “to highlight the concerns and seek measures to address the issues”.
The council has pledged to issue town centre banning orders for prolific shoplifters and contact landlords over tenants found to be contributing to crime and anti-social behaviour.
Coun Parkinson added: “At this very difficult time for retailers they cannot be dealing with multiple burglaries, with the added financial worries they already have with what’s already occurring on the high street during this difficult period to trade.”