THE brutal murder of a jeweller and his wife was the fourth time the successful family business had been a victim of violent crime, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph can reveal today.

It is believed the dead couple's son Shafiq Karim was attacked as he made a delivery to a Burnley market stall just four weeks ago. Mr Karim, who was not named at the time, was attacked by an armed man in a multi-storey car park and had a large amount of jewellery stolen.

Mr Karim was injured in the attack and taken to hospital and jewellery worth several thousand pounds was taken.

Police investigated the incident and appealed for witnesses to come forward but the attackers were never caught.

In another attack last year, Shabir Karim, who runs Tony and Son's Auctioneers and Valuers in Lynwood Road, Revidge, Blackburn, was tied to a chair by armed raiders who stole £400,000 worth of diamond and gold from the premises. At the time, the 27-year-old, of Robinson Street, Little Harwood, told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph of his terror as he was beaten by two thugs who were armed with a gun and a baseball bat.

And in April 1984 a gang bound and gagged the five Karim children, Shabir, then 12, his sisters Sophia, 11, Salma, nine, Sabina, 16 and Shafiq, 14, during a raid at the family home.

Three men wearing stocking masks and brandishing coshes and iron bars smashed down the back door as the youngsters were watching television. The brothers and sisters were ordered to lie on the floor and one of the men kept guard over then while the others searched the house.

They got away with a safe containing £95,000 of gold bullion.

During the getaway, police spotted the men acting suspiciously and there was a chase through the Larkhill area, with road blocks set up all over the town. Six men were later jailed for the offence.

They included Andrew Vassell, 31, of Wilmslow who was jailed for eight years at Preston Crown Court after being found guilty of being involved with three other men in the robbery. Mrs Renee Greaves, 71, who lives next door to the family in Whalley Old Road, Little Harwood, recalled how she discovered the terrified youngsters. She added: "The first robbery happened a long time ago, the children were still little and now they're all married, but I will never forget it.

"I heard glass smashing and went to find out if everything was all right.

"Mr and Mrs Karim were out visiting friends and the gang had emptied a safe after tying up the children.

"The family has had a terrible run of bad luck, being robbed twice and then this.

"They didn't deserve any of it."

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