A FATHER-of-five says he has lost everything after thieves broke into his business ­- just a week after it reopened as lockdown restrictions were eased.

Businessman Ammad Raja’s AJ Mobile shop on Rochdale Road was raided on Monday night.

Thieves smashed their way into the premises using a hammer and other tools and within minutes escaped with £22,000-worth of phones and other goods.

Mr Raja was alerted to the break-in by a loyal customer who phoned him around midnight.

He rushed to the shop.

Mr Raja, 36, says as he arrived people had gathered outside the premises when they discovered what had happened.

Police attended the scene shortly after.

Now Mr Raja has released CCTV footage of the break-in in a bid to catch those responsible and have the stolen items returned.

CCTV footage shows a black car pulling up alongside the shop, before three men got out of the vehicle, and forced the shutters open before breaking the glass door using a hammer and other weapons.

They are then caught on camera spending a couple of minutes grabbing as many phones as they can before making a swift exit.

Like many people, the family struggled through the coronavirus pandemic and as a result stopped their business insurance which means, says Mr Raja, “he has lost everything”.

Speaking to The Bury Times, he said: “They took everything. Lots of Iphone 7s and 8s - I have lost about £22,000-worth of phones, but of course there is other damage like the broken glass and doors.

“I have not done anything wrong. I am a hard-working man trying to provide for my family.

“I don’t deserve this - it feels like I am in a really awful nightmare.We’ve only been back open a week so I just can’t believe this has happened.”

Mr Raja lives with his wife Nagmana, his son and four daughters in a nearby street, and says he might struggle to make ends meet if police are unable to trace the stolen mobile phones.

He added: “I couldn’t work today. All day, I was thinking about how I had nothing to sell.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next but I’m trying to be strong.”

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “Police were called to a shop on Rochdale Road, Bury just after midnight on Tuesday, April 20, to reports of three men attempting to gain access to the property.

Officers attended and found that the shutters had been damaged, and a number of items were taken. No arrests have been made, and enquiries are on-going.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police on 101, quoting incident number 10 of 20/04/21.