A businessman who had 190 Christmas trees stolen said the thieves almost ruined Christmas for his customers.

Saqib Shabbir, 33, whose CCTV captured the men taking the trees from his Manchester shop and loading them into a van, said he had been left heartbroken.

Shabbir, who owns Khawaja Brothers Mini Market in Manchester Road, Chorlton, was forced to ask for financial help from relatives to replace the items, so local families would not be left without a tree this Christmas. He was selling them for £40-50 and had been providing trees to the community for almost a decade.

The thieves, who are believed to be selling £6,000 worth of trees on the illegal market, approached the store at about 9.40pm on 28 November, before returning a day or two later and taking more.

Shabbir said: “It has almost ruined my regular customers’ Christmas. I don’t want the thieves to enjoy theirs. I don’t want them to have a smile on their face at Christmas. I have kept on for the customers, kept smiling on for the customers but it has affected me.

“It is the first time in 12 years we have encountered anything like this. I’m heartbroken and disgusted. It has shocked the community too, they were sorry to hear about what had happened.”

Shabbir borrowed money from his uncle to help him get back on his feet. “It’s something you don’t expect in Chorlton. I have never had an apple go missing. I’ve built up this business and have gone through between 1,500 and 2,000 trees.

“We were very well known in the local community. I have been that annoyed and stressed. I have taken a loss before I had even paid out, but what goes around comes around,” he said.

DC Trudy Lindsey, of the South Manchester police division, said: “The shop owners were devastated to discover that 190 of their Christmas trees had been stolen. This is their livelihood and the offenders selfishly put their business in jeopardy. The van has been spotted in Chorlton since, offering people Christmas trees. If you are offered one to buy I would ask that you contact police immediately.

“If you recognise the men in the CCTV, please get in touch with us and help us to catch those responsible.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4973 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.