Cleckheaton business hit in latest raid on building trade

A Cleckheaton builder's merchants has been left counting the cost of a break-in in the latest targeting of the region's small businesses.
CCTV images of the raiders leaving the arriving at the premises.CCTV images of the raiders leaving the arriving at the premises.
CCTV images of the raiders leaving the arriving at the premises.

A team of burglars forced entry into ATA Builders & Plumbers Merchants, of Bradford Road, late on Friday night. They made off with a safe containing cash as well as private documentation and caused a large amount of damage to both their building and a neighbouring property.

A spokesperson for the company said: “Saturday was a horrible day, a huge amount of disruption was caused sorting the mess that was left and getting the property secured again.

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"Without the help of a couple of our customers I don’t know how we would have been able to stay open and be able to leave the building secure before the close of business on Saturday”

The car left soon afterwards.The car left soon afterwards.
The car left soon afterwards.

“They took a safe with some cash, but it wasn’t a huge amount because we do bank regularly.

“We were back open the same day but they’d taken a load of details and documents which we’re now having to go about replacing.”

ATA have been based in Cleckheaton for 21 years and have never had an issue on this scale before.

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“It does seem that a lot of local businesses are being targeted for this sort of thing at the moment.

The car left soon afterwards.The car left soon afterwards.
The car left soon afterwards.

“We put a Facebook appeal out and have had a huge response from people who have had this sort of thing happen as well as members of the public messaging offering help to find the safe”

A Police spokesperson said: “Suspects entered the yard by breaking a padlock on the gates. They drove a car into the yard which caused further damage to the gates.

“The door to the premises was forced open and the suspects removed a safe from inside which they put into the boot of the vehicle and drove away from the scene with the boot open.

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“Anyone with any information about this incident or witnessed anything suspicious in the area is asked to contact the police via 101 quoting crime reference number 13180091986 or alternatively information can be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555 111.”