Thieves have left a business on the verge of bankruptcy after stealing £300,000 of jewellery.
Nomi Jewellers in Yorkshire Street was raided last weekend when a gang broke into the store through the window of the catering business next door before clearing out the stock.
Business owners Fabia Khatool and her partner Navwd Afhraf are now appealing to the public in a last ditch attempt to find their stolen stock.
Fabia said: "We didn't have anything insured, so we want to appeal to witnesses to come forward.
"It's taken us 10 years of really hard work to start up the business - it's devastating.
"For them to manage to cut through the safe they must have brought tools and planned it.
"All we have is the shop.
"The house and the bills are all paid from the shop - we have been left with nothing.
"We really don't know what will happen if we don't get the jewellery back."
The gang was spotted by a delivery man as they fled the scene. The thieves are described as Asian, in their early 20s and around 5ft 9ins tall and struck between February 27 and March 1.
They were wearing black hooded tops, had white scarves covering their faces and carried large plastic bags.
Detective Inspector Chris Walker of Rochdale CID said: "We are appealing for anyone who may have information about this burglary to come forward.
"Did you see anyone acting suspiciously in the area at the time? Maybe somebody has tried selling you jewellery in the street?"
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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Donnie Tobasco, Rochdale (13/03/2010 at 12:09)
Home/Business, insurance is always neccassary in this day in age.
seh, rochdale (13/03/2010 at 15:37)
seh, rochdale (13/03/2010 at 15:38)
anthony hilton (13/03/2010 at 17:27)
oh dear
THE CASTLETON ONE, CASTLETON (13/03/2010 at 17:29)
what a plonker delboy would say
no symphathy from me
Jackie Matthews (14/03/2010 at 23:48)
I sincerely hope that they get their property returned, but also that they learn a lesson from this and that other uninsured businesses take heed.
true brit, rochdale (15/03/2010 at 10:47)
john moore (16/03/2010 at 21:54)
a year but probably closer 30 with all sorts of restrictions so you
stick to knowing nothing and people in business will stick to knowing
a lot more than you.
Jackie Matthews (17/03/2010 at 19:08)
What a sweeping generalisation, not only are you being presumptuous that the people who have also commented on this story are not in business themselves . You are also insuating that smaller independent businesses of this type are uninsured because of the financial implications and the restrictions placed upon them by the insurers. Whilst I am not arguing that obtaining insurance for such businesses is sadly financially crippling because of the society we live in today, I think you will however find that most small independent jewellers do take such precautions. As I previously said, the risks to have none are too high, especially when your home has also been used as collateral.
The majority of comments sympathise with the predicament that Fabia Khatool and her partner Navwd Afhraf now find themseleves in and are merely expressing surprise and offering advice.
Finally and certainly the most sweeping and undoubtedly offensive accusation you make is that business people know more than non business people. What utter rubbish! Are you judging the masses from the comments of a few. I think you'll find that whether a person is in business or not is n't a criteria for assessing their knowledge and intelligence.
Yours
Jackie Matthews, who for your information has been the owner of a successful business and also worked in a non business environment, has a degree and also insurance!
john moore (20/03/2010 at 22:11)
Jackie Matthews (26/03/2010 at 20:38)
Yet another classic quote Mr Moore.
The answer of course has to be - Yes, I didn't know of your existence and more to the point based on your comments I'm very glad I didn't, as I'm sure, the majority of my fellow Rochdalians are.