A businessman who moved his operation to Bradford at a cost of £7 million today revealed that thieves had left his 60 workers without any work after causing damage to his premises.

Alan Moss, who is chairman of The London Oil Refining Company Ltd, also known as Astonish, said his company had been targeted at least twice since he moved close to the Euroway Industrial Estate only 18 months ago.

He said that in the latest attack, thieves cut phone lines leaving the company without fax or e-mail facilities, and 60 people waiting around for work.

The company, based at Staithgate Lane, near the M606, manufactures a range of household and automotive cleaning chemicals and 40 per cent of their orders are exported to Japan, China and Asia.

Mr Moss also criticised the police for not doing enough to ensure his premises were not broken into last weekend when vandals caused thousands of pounds of damage.

Problems initially started last year when Mr Moss said that phone lines were cut when thieves lifted a BT manhole cover outside the building, disabling the alarm.

“Last week they cut the lines again, but the alarm went off and the police told me they were going to monitor everything,” he said.

“On Saturday, there was another break-in where they scaled the 8ft fence, smashed the window and took a safe which contained just £50, but important business documents that we will not recover. It is so upsetting and heartbreaking having 60 people with no work to do."

Chief Inspector Paul Hepworth, of the Bradford South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said that officers organised for the telecommunications company to repair the damaged cables and within 13 minutes of the alarm being activated last Saturday were at the scene with a police helicopter and dog unit.

Insp Hepworth said: “I realise the frustration and disruption that crimes such as this bring to any business and I can give my assurance that we are doing all we can to trace those responsible."