Warning as home in Idle is ransacked by jewellery thieves (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Warning as home in Idle is ransacked by jewellery thieves

7:00am Friday 26th October 2012 in News

Householders are being warned to consider the security of high-value jewellery after gold wedding gifts worth tens of thousands of pounds were stolen during a burglary at another Bradford house.

In the latest raid, a family-of-four returned to their home in Wendron Way, Idle, from a birthday party to find their house ransacked and heirloom jewels given as wedding presents gone.

Father-of-two Harpal Sudle, 35, said he and his wife Ravi, 33, made the shocking discovery just after midnight on Sunday. They now fear a gang of gold robbers could be targeting Asian families.

“Whoever did it are professionals. Every cupboard, drawer and box had been turned out and every piece of gold had gone. They got what they came for,” he said.

“The police told us there is a spate of this going on, that Indian families are being targeted for their gold because these people know it is part of our tradition to be gifted it at weddings.”

Mr Sudle said he felt sick when he heard through the Telegraph & Argus a family in Clayton had been held at gunpoint also at the weekend when armed robbers burst into their home in Oakleigh Road and stole £60,000 of jewellery.

“It makes me glad we were not in the house. It could have been us with a gun at our heads,” he said.

Detectives do not believe the two incidents are linked, however.

Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said: “We are currently investigating this burglary, during which gold jewellery was taken and I would urge any witnesses to the incident to get in touch.

“We are also investigating an incident on Oakleigh Road, Clayton, on Saturday and I would again appeal for anyone with information about this to come forward.”

“We would always urge residents, particularly within our Asian community, to consider the security of high value items such as jewellery.”

Anyone with information should call the non-emergency number on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.