Now plumber Zahid Aga is warning fellow tradesmen to be on their guard against similar attacks in case there is a gang of muggers targeting business people.
Twenty-seven-year-old Zahid received a call last Thursday from a man on his mobile asking him to come and fix a broken boiler and gave him an address in The Crofts in St Anne's Road, Eastbourne.
When Zahid, who runs Agas Plumbing and Heating, turned up at the supposed job on Thursday just after 6pm, he was met by a teenager who offered to take him to the address and led him down an alleyway.
It was then he was jumped on, knocked to the floor and kicked before the attackers took his phone, keys and wallet.
And, to add insult to injury, the thugs then used his house keys to get into his flat in South Street and ransacked his home.
Zahid said, "The teenager told me he was the property owner's son and I followed him down an alleyway but became suspicious. Then I heard footsteps behind me and other people ran at me. I fell to the ground and curled up in a ball. They kicked me and stole my phone, wallet and keys and then ran off.
"But then between it happening and 7.30pm, they got into my flat and ransacked it. They took nothing except for cash. It was very frightening. It all happened so quickly. I think I was picked on for a reason and I wonder if there is a gang targeting tradesmen."
Police officers are now appealing for witnesses to the incident and have issued a description of one of the men they want to question.
The man who led Mr Aga down the dirt track was 16 or 17 years old and of mixed race with a fairly light complexion. He had curly dark chestnut coloured hair worn short on the sides and a half to three quarters of an inch on top. He was 5'5 to 5'6 and of athletic build, wearing plain black jeans, fastened with a brown belt and black short sleeve round neck T-shirt.
In addition an old looking blue car similar to a Mark 1 or 2 Ford Fiesta was then seen to accelerate hard down the hill in St Anne's Road and disappear from view.
Police are appealing for anyone with any information to contact Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999 quoting Serial 1449 of 28 January or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 11
A police spokesperson said, "Although it appears the victim of this incident has been specifically targeted, police can confirm this is an isolated incident and have not received any similar complaints."