Three balaclava-clad raiders armed with metal poles stormed a Bradford jewellery shop in a chaotic mid-morning ram-raid yesterday — only to flee empty-handed after failing to break through the store’s jewellery cases, as terrified customers including a woman with a baby scrambled to escape around them.
The attempted robbery at Bradford Jewellers on Barkerend Road lasted just 30 seconds. At around 11.30am on 11 May, the gang used a vehicle to ram the shop front before piling inside through the destroyed entrance as smoke billowed from the building and alarms wailed. The impact left rubble, shattered glass and the vehicle’s covered bumper strewn across the street.
Footage captured by a witness shows the chaotic scenes as customers fled the store simultaneously with the raiders storming in. One thief carrying a metal baton stepped over the bumper and into the smoke-filled shop, coming face to face with a terrified customer before slipping past him. A second accomplice stood outside adjusting his balaclava while gripping a backpack, and a third positioned himself further along the road.
A woman inside managed to vault over the destroyed stone wall and rubble to escape, before immediately turning back to help others. Alongside fellow customers, she assisted a woman carrying a baby to safety as the raid unfolded just metres away.
The gang’s efforts proved fruitless. Despite breaching the shop front, they failed to break into any of the jewellery display cases. Upon realising there was nothing within reach to steal, they fled with empty backpacks. One raider slipped as he left the store, before jumping around brandishing his metal bat as his accomplices retreated.
One man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery and remains in custody. A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson confirmed: “Three suspects gained entry to the shop using a vehicle, nothing was stolen. West Yorkshire Police are investigating.”
