A gang spent hours demolishing a wall brick by brick to raid a mobile-phone shop in Bradford.

The raiders, thought to have used a crowbar and sledgehammer, also removed metal shutters and two steel plates to get in before stealing phones, electronic equipment and cash to a total of about £4,000.

Amjad Akram, owner of the Letz Talk shop in Great Horton Road, said the intruders had spent about three hours removing bricks from an interior wall dividing the back of the terrace property and his shop at the front.

He said: “I had the wall built and the metal shutters put in after I was burgled in August. It cost me about £4,000.

“They must have had a crowbar and a sledgehammer to break down the metal shutter at the back. They then removed bricks from the wall until they had a hole big enough to get through into the shop.

“The alarm has gone off and they have only been in the shop for two minutes before going out the back with the property.”

Since the raid, Mr Akram, 37, who has owned the shop for 12 years, has had a bigger wall built and replaced the security shutters.

But he said: “I worry they will come back and do it again.”

He said the value of the stolen goods was about £4,000, with a similar amount of damage.

Mr Akram said: “It’s hard enough being a small businessman without this. It is a lot of money to lose. But I am determined to keep going.”

Three suspects were caught on CCTV in the shop but the effects of a smoke alarm makes it difficult to see them.

Mr Akram said witnesses had reported seeing suspects with stolen property heading to the Canterbury estate. He has also handed police a pair of trainers and socks he found in the garden, which he believes may be linked to the burglary.

Mr Akram added: “I would like to see the police take more positive action.”

Police said they were called to the premises at 11pm on November 26. The spokesman confirmed an iPad, four iphones and £1,000 was stolen and that three suspects were involved.

He said after the burglar, police went to an address in Dawnay Road, Canterbury following information the suspects had gone there but nobody was found.

He urged any witnesses, or anyone with information about the raid to contact police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.