"I flinched and they laughed": Youths terrorise Dewsbury shopowner

In what appeared to be a calculated attempt to make off with some of the most valuable stock available at Gadget Kings, Bradford Road, a group of five males subjected 38-year-old Yousuf Raja to verbal abuse and threatened him with physical violence.

One male, known to Mr Raja, entered the store on his own before demanding to try a phone worth several hundred pounds.

When Mr Raja refused, the youngster made a phonecall to rally a gang of four, who arrived in moments.

“It was very threatening, this gang of lads barging into the shop, shouting, making a mess, coming up to the till,” he said, “I was very shaken up, it was five against one and I didn’t know what they’d do.”

When it became clear that the gang were not going to get what they came for, one of the group got especially abusive and began to threaten the shopowner.

“He had his hand in his pocket like he had some sort of weapon and was threatening me,” Mr Raja said.

“He was shouting and moved as if he was going to hit me with something. I flinched and they all laughed.

“I asked them to leave but obviously they refused.”

The gang eventually left the store empty-handed but for a £13 bluetooth speaker snatched from the counter.

“I wasn’t going to give them anything.

“As soon as this lad came in the shop alarm bells started going and I knew what he was upto.”

Mr Raja has owned the store for three years and is well known amongst the Dewsbury shopkeeping community.

“I’ve not really had many of these instances before, just one similar occasion, and it came out of nowhere.

“But there have been a couple of incidents recently that have concerned some of us.”

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said that there is no suggestion that the incident is related to any other investigation.

Three males, aged 15, 15 and 26, all from Dewsbury, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Police say investigations are ongoing.