Two men have been charged over the robbery of celebrity antiques expert Ian Towning’s west London jewellers.
Thomas Loring, 40, and James Dixon, 41, were on Wednesday arrested by detectives from the Metropolitan Police‘s Flying Squad, who were investigating a series of raids.
They include a robbery at Mr Towning’s Bourbon Hanby Antiques Arcade on Sydney Street, which is just off the King’s Road in Chelsea, on 26 March.
Mr Towning, 76, who has appeared as an antiques expert on ITV‘s Dickinson’s Real Deal and Posh Pawn on Channel 4, first opened his antiques store at the Chelsea Antiques Market in 1976 before opening the arcade in 1997.
Police previously said three people who suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the robbery were taken to hospital for treatment after two men armed with hammers damaged property inside the shop and stole thousands of pounds worth of jewellery.
On his Instagram account, Mr Towning posted pictures of his injuries and said he was in “incredible pain” after the alleged attack, in which a security guard and another colleague were also injured.
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In a later video post he said he had “recovered very well” and had installed a “wonderful security system” at his shop.
The store was also robbed in 2008, in an unconnected incident when three men with sledgehammers and a gun left Mr Towning badly injured.
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Loring, from Eltham, south-east London, and Dixon, of no fixed address, have been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to steal between 25 February and 19 June this year, a robbery in Old Kent Road on 19 June and possession of an offensive weapon.
Loring has also been charged with possession of a Class B drug and both men were due to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court today.
