A shop-owner who moved his mobile phone business to Bradford city centre following a terrifying armed robbery at the previous premises has been left distraught after losing thousands of pounds in a break-in.

Police were called early yesterday to the burglary at XLine Mobiles in Ivegate.

A glass door and glass cabinets inside the shop were smashed and a number of expensive phones were said to have been taken.

Shop owner Irfan Qaiser opened the store in Ivegate less than six months ago.

Mubashir Ahmed, a friend of Mr Qaiser, said: “Because it is a new shop, we are feeling very bad.

“We see the shutter was broken, all the glass was messed up, the phones had gone, and he was very upset.”

Mr Qaiser was a victim of an armed robbery by a masked gang in July last year at his former premises in Lumb Lane, Bradford.

He told the Telegraph & Argus after the previous incident how he feared for his life as he was punched in the face and the side of his head by two of the gang with steel weapons, while a third man emptied an unlocked glass cabinet of phones valued at about £1,000.

He moved his business to Ivegate, where he had been open for five months before yesterday’s break-in.

Munawar Hussain, who owns the building which houses the shop, said: “He is not feeling safe here, he is feeling very upset.

“He came here from Lumb Lane because he thought he would be safe, but he is not safe anywhere in Bradford.”

West Yorkshire Police said officers were called at 2.20am to reports of the break-in.

The police helicopter carried out a search of of the area.

No arrests had been made yesterday and inquiries were continuing.

Anyone with information about the raid has been urged to call West Yorkshire Police on the non-emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.