Jeweller who threw himself at machete gang during raid: 'I'm no hero'

Paul Cheston18 December 2015
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

The owner of a City jeweller’s who threw himself at a gang of machete-wielding robbers as they escaped today insisted: “I’m no hero.”

The 48-year-old boss, who asked not to be identified, said the attack on his shop had devastated his staff and family.

But even though his stock was looted and what was left behind damaged, he refused to close his business even for a day.

Mobile phone footage of the terrifying scene when the jeweller leapt on the back of 6ft 7ins Alex Parle outside his shop was an internet sensation.

First it showed an unmarked police car trying to head off the raiders as they raced from the shop near Liverpool Street station in January.

'No hero': The jeweller launches himself onto 6ft 7ins Alex Parle

Then as the owner grabbed Parle, the raider swung a machete at him and escaped with jewels and Rolex, Piquet and Omega watches.

In the confusion he glanced round for the moped getaway driver who yelled: “Alex, get on!”

The gang, from south-east London, used hammers and concrete blocks to smash their way into jewellers and money transfer shops and steal £500,000 of cash and goods before making off on mopeds.

They were led by Conor Gartland, who is just 18.

Together with Parle, 22, and Thomas O’Connor, 23, he was on Friday due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to rob stretching over nearly a year.

Towering: 6ft 7ins Alex Parle

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the jeweller said the video footage on TV news reports brought back haunting memories.

“I just want it all to go away,” he said. “I just want to get on with my life and continue to build my business.

“I do not see myself as any kind of hero. My reaction that day was a spontaneous response to protect but the repercussions of it have been tremendous.”

As the front of the shop came under attack, he said, his first instinct was “to protect my staff”.

“I recall ushering them to the back of the store towards the storeroom,” he said.

Facing jail: Thomas O'Connor

“I had no idea what [the raiders’] intention was. What did they know about my business? Were they smashing their way in to get to the safe? Was it me or one of my staff they were after?

“Although I had very little time to think, those were the types of thoughts going through my head.”

“The incident may not have lasted very long but the repercussions of it have.”

He went on: “The first three months were mentally challenging and stressful for not only me and my staff but my family too.

“The fear of what might have happened had the man with the machete actually used it is something that goes over and over in my head.

'Ringleader': Conor Gartland

“Who would look after my wife and children if they had actually killed me with it?”

But he refused to be cowed by the violence.

“I refused to close the shop,” he said, “not even for one day.

“People rallied around and helped clear all the damaged units and glass away and we opened the following day.

“Unfortunately, I had no stock. Every single watch that had not been stolen had been damaged by the display cabinets and glass crashing down on them.

“During that time I worried whether I would be able to keep my staff on because we didn’t have much trade.

“It took three to four months before I received any insurance payments to enable me to restock but by the summer the business was back on its feet.

“I now am very wary every time I see a motorbike pass the shop and I wonder whether I’m about to be robbed again.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in