Bradford Retailers Target of High-Profile Burglaries and Machete Raids

Retail stores in Bradford have been hit by a series of high-profile break-ins and armed robberies, raising significant safety concerns among local business owners. Two notable incidents highlight the severe security threats facing commercial outlets across the district.

CEX Broadway Burglary

Police launched an investigation following an early-hours break-in at the CEX store on Broadway in Bradford city centre. The incident occurred on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, when the store's intruder alarm was activated just before 3:00 a.m. Two suspects smashed the storefront window, leaving shattered glass across the pavement, and escaped with a substantial quantity of electronic goods before police arrived.

Terrifying Sledgehammer Raid at Cash Converters

In a separate, more aggressive incident, the Cash Converters store at Avenue Retail Park on Weaverthorpe Road was targeted in broad daylight on Monday, January 5, 2026. Around 4:58 p.m., two masked men wearing balaclavas entered the shop armed with a machete and a sledgehammer. The suspects threatened staff and shattered display cabinets to steal a till drawer filled with cash and high-value jewellery. The perpetrators fled towards Tong Street, leaving the employees deeply traumatized. Armed response officers searched the area, but no arrests have been made.