“ENOUGH is enough.”

That was the defiant message from Wyke residents and crime-hit traders in the village as yet more footage of teenage gangs terrorising shops emerged.

Bhavin Patel, 34, who runs the P ‘n’ K’s Corner convenience store in Huddersfield Road with his wife Dimple, 29, decided to share their ordeal of “mob mentality” after seeing footage of another raid on Jack’s Local in nearby Wyke Lane.

The terrifying video has caused a stir on social media, leading to disgust and calls for the community to come together to tackle the problems causing misery in the area.

Mr Patel has pleaded for action to be taken, while councillors have slammed the “totally unacceptable” behaviour, and called for an increased police presence and for those responsible to hand themselves in.

The shocking video, captured at around 8pm last Thursday, shows the gang storming the store, intimidating the young couple, smashing through a window, kicking the door and causing mayhem.

Mr Patel says the raid escalated after he caught one of the group stealing a bottle of pop on camera and ran out to the shop floor to confront him before he could walk out.

“His mates came in and started getting aggressive and started shouting,” he said.

“I was not letting him get out with the bottle, I was not having it. My wife phoned the police – after a bit they realised she was phoning the police and smashed the phone out of her hand.”

Mr Patel then closed and locked the door to keep the boy in, but other members of the gang then managed to smash the door’s window frame in, giving him a chance to escape.

He said they were spitting on the floor and grabbing handfuls of sweets. After the group escaped, Mr Patel chased after them wielding a baseball bat.

The couple have been in charge of the shop for a year, after taking it over from Mr Patel’s parents.

“It has only been 12 months,” Mrs Patel said.

“We’ve got a three-year-old daughter. I don’t want her growing up in this area, it’s getting worse. You don’t know what they are going to do when they come next time.”

“Something needs to be done,” said Mr Patel. “This needs to stop – enough is enough.

“We need to sit down with councillors and the police. We work 120 hours a week, for people to just come and take anything they want – they think they are above the law.

“It’s a mob mentality. We don’t see police or anybody around to act as a deterrent, but I don’t even know if that would act as a deterrent to this lot.

“There’s no fear, no respect. It’s the parents that are to blame.”

David Warburton, Labour ward councillor for Wyke, said he and other councillors will work with police and with businesses to do “whatever they can” to address the problem.

He said: “I think we need a stronger police presence for a short period of time to get on top of this and deal with these culprits.

“Some of them are clearly still of school age. We need to find out who their parents are and speak with them and see what they are trying to do as they are allowing their children to run amok.”

Cllr Warburton added: “Up to maybe a year ago we had a strong, regular, police presence across the ward and constituency. Through cuts, they have had to cut back on that, so it means there’s not as many patrols picking up that information.”

Fellow ward councillor Sarah Ferriby slammed the gang’s behaviour as “totally unacceptable”.

She said: “Someone must know who these youths are. This needs nipping in the bud. Anyone that knows them has a responsibility to pass on that information. Action needs to be taken, they can’t get away with this.

“It does not make them big individuals at all. The police need that information to come in so they can catch these people so they can be dealt with.

“The best thing they could do would be to come forward and own up to the police, admit it and say ‘it’s wrong, I should not have done it’.”

Both councillors urged people to tell the police, and them, about any incidents.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said two 15-year-old males had been arrested on suspicion of assault in connection with the incident and inquiries were continuing to identify the others involved.

Inspector Daniel Ware, who leads the Bradford South Area Neighbourhood Team, said: “We recognise the impact this is having on local businesses and have increased patrols in the area as a result. We are also working with them to investigate these matters and will take action against those responsible.”

Anyone who can assist in identifying the suspects is asked to contact the Bradford South Area Neighbourhood Team on 101, quoting crime reference 13170345211. Information can also be passed anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

The Telegraph & Argus is unable to carry the CCTV footage on its website for legal reasons.

Bradford South MP Judith Cummins has welcomed news that arrests have been made.

She said she has been working with traders from across Bradford South, including those in Wyke, over concerns about crime and the security of their premises. 

“I hope these arrests will offer traders in Wyke some comfort that the police are taking positive steps to address the problems they have been facing," Mrs Cummins said.

"They shouldn’t have to endure these kinds of difficulties and should be able to go about their business free from the fear of crime.

“The police have a difficult task given the number of officers they’ve lost over the last seven years but from the discussions I have had with them, and with Bradford Council, it is clear they are determined to solve the problems traders have been enduring.”

Mrs Cummins has been liaising with the police and Bradford Council and a meeting is planned to allow traders from across Bradford South to raise their concerns directly.

She added: “Day to day it is the police who provide the first line of defence against criminal activities but I’m happy to do whatever I can to make sure everyone is working together to address these issues.”

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