A ward councillor is organising a meeting of traders after a spate of crime against shops and businesses in the Eccleshill area of Bradford.

Councillor Geoff Reid said that he was looking at raising funds for security cameras after two businesses in Institute Road were burgled in the early hours and a convenience store in nearby Norman Lane was robbed by a man armed with a knife.

A nearby garage on Acre Lane also had a padlock broken in an attempted break-in.

All the crimes have occurred since last Thursday.

Coun Reid (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) said yesterday: “It is disturbing. It seems to have rapidly moved up the road with three businesses in a matter of days. It seems to be a rising trend and the most important thing from the police point of view is to identify where hotspots are.

“So if you are a victim of burglary make that phone call to the police.”

The first incident was at 2.50pm last Thursday at the convenience store in Norman Lane.

A man entered the store and threatened a female member of staff inside with a knife. He then fled with a small amount of cash leaving the woman shocked but unharmed.

The second incident happened a day later at the Flower Room florist on Institute Road when a window was smashed and cash taken shortly after 3am.

David Ducey, of the Flower Room, said: “A big stone was thrown through the front of the shop and they made a mess and grabbed a bit of money and ran out again. There is about £500 of damage.”

The third incident occurred only yards away at the Hutchinson and Associate dentists surgery on Institute Road between Saturday and yesterday when vandals hammered down a reinforced door and grille and ransacked the offices, stealing about £150 and causing £1,000 of damage.

Dentist Karan Rishi said so much pressure was applied to the door that it snapped in half.

“They have stolen £150 but ransacked the offices pulling drawers out looking for money,” he said.

“I don’t think it was children because of the amount of force needed to bring the door down.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman urged witnesses to any of the incidents or anyone with information about them to call the non-emergency number 101.