Ram-raiders smash their way into JD Sports at The Springs Leeds

Ram-raiders smashed their way into the JD Sports store in The Springs shopping centre at Thorpe Park.
There was little evidence of damage at JD Sports on Monday morning after the raid.There was little evidence of damage at JD Sports on Monday morning after the raid.
There was little evidence of damage at JD Sports on Monday morning after the raid.

Police were called at 10.52pm on Sunday September 8 to the sports store in Century Way.

-> This is why there are so many ram raids on shops in Leeds city centreA dark-coloured 4x4 had been reversed into the front window and clothing was stolen.

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The store was open on Monday morning and the debris had been cleared away.

There was little evidence of damage at JD Sports on Monday morning after the raid.There was little evidence of damage at JD Sports on Monday morning after the raid.
There was little evidence of damage at JD Sports on Monday morning after the raid.

It is thought to be the first ram raid at The Springs, which has been open for less than a year.

-> These are the nine Leeds businesses that have been ram raided in the past two yearsThere have been more than 10 ram raid incidents across Leeds since October 2017.

Most of the shops targeted have been in the city's centre's Victoria Quarter, which is home to plush designer stores.

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Premises on the edge of the arcades, with frontages on the main thoroughfares of Vicar Lane and Briggate, have proved particularly vulnerable as gangs can make a getaway easily.

Flannels - a multi-brand designer clothing store owned by the Sports Direct Group - was raided three times in just nine months.

More recent incidents include a raid on a tech firm in Whitehall Road in May and a failed ram raid on the Santander bank in Pudsey in AugustA West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Enquiries are ongoing into the incident and anyone who witnessed it or who has any information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact Leeds District CID via 101 quoting crime reference 13190461078 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."