31-07-2025
'My hands were shaking': The moment knife-wielding robbery took place at phone shop
A SHOP owner whose business was targeted by a knife-wielding robber has described feeling 'terrified'.
Muhammed Naveed Bhatti was showing phones to two customers when the masked man entered Technology Sales & Repairs in Bradford city centre.
CCTV footage shows the dramatic robbery unfolding around 3.45pm on Tuesday.
The video shows the suspect rush into the shop before smacking a knife down on the display cabinet - narrowly missing Naveed's hand.
The two customers - one of whom was just a young girl - could be seen in the corner of the shop before running away to safety.
'It was only one metre away from me,' Naveed, who has owned the shop for a decade, told the T&A.
'I was really scared.
'I didn't know how to deal with that and how to manage. I was really terrified.
'My hands were shaking.'
Watch the video
West Yorkshire Police has since launched an investigation into the robbery in broad daylight.
The suspect is described as an Asian male wearing a black puffa jacket with a hood and a face covering. He is said to have run off towards Ivegate.
Anyone with information that might help should contact police, quoting the crime reference number 13250431787.
Speaking about the incident, he said: 'I was showing them phones, four phones, and was looking at the phone and suddenly he came into the door and pointed the knife. It was really close to my hand.
CCTV footage shows the man turn towards the shop owner before running away (Image: UGC)
'Straight away he said give me the phone. I gave him two phones and I just thought maybe he [would] stop. There was the other two phones as well. He still held the knife on me saying 'give me them as well'.
'I was shouting. I was asking for help."
The shop owner said he had to ask the two girls to write down their contact details for police due to his hands shaking so much.
Naveed said the stock is worth around '£1,800, nearly £2,000'.
Photo taken from the CCTV footage shows the suspect (Image: UGC) Speaking about the impact of the attack, Naveed said: 'I could not sleep last night because of this tragedy. All night I was thinking.
'This is a busy time, daylight - everybody was walking around.'
He added: 'We're a small shop and we're already struggling with business.
'It's already very hard. From this morning I'm thinking maybe I'm looking at another job.
'I was really upset.
'For the people it was really scary. Everybody was terrified, the other shop people they came to me and said it's really bad. Next door to me he was just outside looking.
'All of the shop people, they were looking [at] what's happening to me. Everybody's saying, you're lucky you're still alive, sometimes they take valuable things from you and hit as well.
'I've lived here 35 years now in Bradford.
'It's the first time [something like that has happened]. All the time we talk about the situation going on. Every other day there's been snatching. We keep talking like this, it's very hard.
'Unfortunately it happened to me yesterday.'
What has West Yorkshire Police said?
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: 'Police are investigating a report of a robbery which occurred at business premises in James Street, Bradford at about 3.45pm yesterday (Tuesday).
'The suspect is described as an Asian male wearing a black puffa jacket with a hood and a face covering. He is said to have run off towards Ivegate.
'Bradford District CID is investigating the incident and anyone with information or footage which may assist is asked to contact them on 101, or by using the live chat facility on the West Yorkshire Police website.
'The crime reference is 13250431787.'
West Yorkshire Police also works alongside Crimestoppers, a charity that allows the public to report information on crimes anonymously.
Members of the public contact Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111 or through their online form.
