A SHOPKEEPER who survived a knife attack has said he feels let down by police after yet another break in at his store.

Imtiaz Ul Haq has been running the local shop in Queensferry, formerly known as Costcutter, for about five years.

Video and images by Geoff Abbott

The Leader reported last year how Mr Haq was the victim of a vicious attack in 2016 in which he was beaten, stabbed in the throat and head, and ended up on the floor where he was further attacked.

Mr Haq has said since having an ATM machine installed two years ago, he has reported about 40 offences, 10 of which were break ins, with the most recent incident happening in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

He was alerted to the incident at about 1.30am by his alarm monitoring system and was told police were at the scene.

“It’s my survival at stake. How can I feed my family? I have invested so much into this business, for myself and my family to survive,” he said.

“It’s a local convenience store, people need it. Right now, I’m not very happy, nothing is being done. I’m really angry about it, why can’t they [North Wales Police] do anything?”

The 60-year-old said he has reported multiple break-ins with police, but he believes the attackers are targeting him in a bid to sabotage his business.

Following the incident in 2016, Mr Haq returned to work a few months later but he now says he has thought about selling the store.

He added: “I do feel like giving up. I’m not bothered about the police now, I know they aren’t doing anything, they are just wasting more of my time. I have given up now.

“I feel like I’m personally being sabotaged, and my business is being sabotaged and the police are ignoring it.

“They say it’s anti-social behaviour but it’s more than that, I feel let down by the police.

“I get told to claim on my insurance but I’m not going to because my insurance has gone up four times.”

Due to the recent break in, the store suffered some inside damage, damage to the glass on the door and paint splattered across the floor.

A spokesman for North Wales Police confirmed the force received a call at 1.25am from a member of the public reporting a cash machine at the location was being targeted by two males.

The men escaped in a vehicle prior to the officers arrival at the scene and nothing was stolen.

Anyone with information can contact police on their live webchat at http://www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/chat-support.aspx quoting reference W110947

Today Inspector Gareth Cust added: “Our local neighbourhood policing team are aware of the issues and will continue to advise and assist local businesses.”