London Antiques Dealer Thanks Supporters After Brutal Hammer Attack
A well-known London antique dealer, Ian Towning, has expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of support following a brutal attack by hammer-wielding thugs who raided his Chelsea store, Bourbon Hanby Arcade.
The shocking incident occurred on March 26, in broad daylight, when robbers targeted Towning’s emporium on Sydney Street. Towning, known for his appearances on TV shows such as Posh Pawn and Dickinson’s Real Deal, took to Instagram to update his followers, revealing the extent of the violence he and his security guard endured.
In the post, Towning stated he was “smashed to bits” during the attack, while his security guard was “hit so seriously on the head” that he required stitches. The footage shared by Towning shows two men, masked and armed with hammers, storming the store. They first attacked the security guard and then proceeded to smash open glass cabinets containing valuable antiques.
The robbers then entered another room where they assaulted Towning and continued to break into more cabinets, making off with over £100,000 worth of jewelry. Photos from the aftermath of the attack showed Towning with head injuries, blood streaming down his face and chest, and his security guard with a deep gash on the back of his head and a blood-soaked t-shirt.
In his Instagram post on March 31, Towning described the difficulty of discussing the traumatic event. “I find it very difficult to talk about the incident which saw myself and my security guard seriously injured,” he said. In an interview with the BBC, he detailed the severity of his injuries, mentioning how the assailants broke his teeth and caused significant bruising to his chest with a sledgehammer. “They’ve pushed me to the floor, they beat me up,” he recounted. “I got up, they’ve broken my teeth, they’ve damaged all my face.”
On Sunday, Towning shared his first Instagram update in two months, expressing heartfelt thanks to his supporters. “First of all I have to say thank you to the 21,000+ people from around the globe who sent me amazing wishes of get well soon, for me and Mark who was hit so seriously on his head and had to have stitches,” he wrote. “Me, it doesn’t matter – I’ve recovered very well. Smashed to bits, but doesn’t matter.”
Towning also informed followers about the new security measures implemented at Bourbon Hanby Arcade to ensure the safety of clients and their belongings. “Shutters that come down, electronic buzzers to let you in and out, just to make sure that all our clients are safe and well looked after when they enter the arcade,” he said. “All the jewelry that you leave with me is safe and sound – everything is well looked after. If you want to come into the arcade you’re in a very, very safe zone.”
Overwhelmed by the support he received, Towning concluded, “I just don’t know how to say thank you.”