Chin up and carry on.

A friend of mine, who reads this blog, was recently on the receiving end of an armed raid. He was and is quite badly affected by this. It improves but it doesn't get better. This is the first time I have spoken out about my experience of this type of crime and I hope it will provide a little support without the "rose tinted" "you'll be fine in a few weeks" speech.

My experience was over a decade ago and still affects me today. It was a normal morning at work, we were all putting the stock in the windows as usual and I was just thinking that the Rolex stock was looking healthier than usual. It seems that Rolex were releasing a little more stock than was their normal. It took about 20-25 minutes to display these watches nicely.

The morning proceeded as usual and I dealt with a few customers. I was in the middle of taking in a repair form an old lady in a wheel chair and her carer, when the door opened and what I thought was a "big bloke" rushed in. It was actually two men, one with a handgun. They started shouting and waving the gun around, more with abuse than instruction. Then it happened, I started moving forward to do as they asked. As I moved closer to the gunman he grabbed my arm and pressed the gun against my temple, taking me to unlock the window. I then had to lie on the floor as the other members of staff. My heart was pounding with rage, not fear as I would have thought, that came later.

It took them less than one and a half minutes to come in, clear the display, and leave. But that time is with me until the last breath I take. Some people reacted straight away, I didn't.

On my way home that night, well actually afternoon (there one upside to having a raid in the morning, we all got the afternoon off) I drove along a rural route with a 60mph speed limit. You would never ordinarily go above 40mph on that route as it's a very uneven and twisting road. I wanted to provoke a reaction as I hadn't had one, not a tear, I didn't shake or anything. I've had a guy hurling abuse at me, pointing a gun at me and pressing it against my temple and I haven't reacted. What's wrong with me? Is it shock? Should something happen by now? Nothing. To date I haven't had a reaction.

But this has affected me very deeply. I've always had a sense of paranoia being in the trade I'm in, but it has been heightened since this. I need a change of underwear if I see someone wearing a balaclava (ski mask for my American friends)! Guns I have no problem with as I grew up with them and treat them with respect. The worst bit, that affects me every day is a personal space issue. When someone steps the other side of the counter my heart skips a beat, but not in a good way. When people come in for a continental greeting (mwah mwah air kisses by the cheek) I panic. Even yesterday a customer was so pleased with what I had done for her, she gave me a hug and I stood there frozen to the spot. It must have been like hugging a frozen plank. I don't like physical contact and it takes a great deal of will power not to flinch, draw back or even run. This never was a problem until that day.

Maybe if I had some professional help things would be different. I think the most important thing to do is talk. If you come up against the occasional plonker that says "you've got to expect it in your job" either ignore them or say as I do " No. I expect to go to work add a little bit of something positive to someones life by saying yes we can fix it, or I've got just the thing you need, and go home in one piece". A scary statistic is that in the U.K. jewellery trade you are more likely to be confronted by a gun than the U.K. police! Even the Health and Safety Executive recognise this as a legitimate risk.

If it does happen, do as you're told, don't try and be a hero (or heroine), get help afterwards, even if you don't think you need it and most importantly, talk about it, to loved ones, family, friends and strangers. Talking will draw things out before they fester and turn into fears and problems. If you have thought about making an exit from the trade, think carefully. Think of the positive influence you've had on so many lives.

If you go you will be missed. You have been there from birth to marriage of many people and every special occasion inbetween.

Take care and chin up.
Damian