Dagenham business could close after being targeted by youths
Ali Shaik, Hamida Bhuyia and Melon Sikder. from Bismillah Cash and Carry - Credit: Archant
Staff at a supermarket fear that they might have to shut up shop after claiming they are being targeted by groups of violent youths.
Ali Shaik, 31, says youngsters have stolen stock and attacked him and his family in his uncle’s shop, Bismillah Cash and Carry, in Goresbrook Road, Dagenham, on several occasions in the last 12 months.
On Sunday, some young people started knocking produce off the shelves while the window of next-door takeaway restaurant Chicks Chicken and Pizza was smashed.
“We just want to run a business but they keep attacking us,” said Mr Shaik, of Cranborne Road, Barking.
“If we say anything to them they just start fighting.
You may also want to watch:
How can we stay here if nobody helps us?”
“We’ve been here for a number of years but things have become much worse.”
Most Read
- 1 Is the Becontree estate in Barking and Dagenham really a Covid hotspot?
- 2 Hundreds of shops found not complying with Covid rules
- 3 Town hall backs Dagenham freeport bid
- 4 Covid deaths increase at Queen's and King George hospitals this week
- 5 NHS nurse assaulted at east London hospital
- 6 One in 20 may have had Covid-19 last week in Redbridge, Newham and Barking and Dagenham, figures suggest
- 7 Man recalled to prison after persistent anti-social behaviour in Dagenham cul de sac
- 8 Town hall seeks powers to prevent 'unsightly' loft extensions
- 9 Organisers seek former Mayesbrook teachers to join school reunion
- 10 Dagenham rallies round to make memories for family of 'joyful, little' tot with cancer
He claims about seven or eight young men aged between 16 and 18 years old came into the shop on Tuesday last week and started threatening his uncle, who called the police at about 8.45pm.
After Mr Shaik came down to the shop himself, he called police again just before 9.30pm but insists no officers visited that evening.
Although the shop usually opens until 10pm, the cash and carry has been closing up to two hours early in recent days, in a bid to avoid any trouble.
And Mr Shaik insists something will have to change or they may have to close.
“One time my uncle called me so I came down, and I took a picture of them [the youngsters] but then they started fighting,” he added “They punched and kicked me and my uncle, who ended up in hospital. We’re really scared about what they will do to us next. Something needs to be done or we can’t stay here much longer.”
The Met was unable to provide a comment before the Post went to press.