Unarmed British Security Guard Disarms Robber

[1stWatch]

South London, UK:
A security guard was able to wrestle a gun away from a would-be robber after he was hit over the head with it. The suspect escaped empty handed. This was the second robbery in that area within 10 days.

http://icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk...story_continue

Finally one for the good guys. He's very fortunate he wasn't shot.

[EMTGuard]

Let me tell you, if anyone hit me over the head with a gun, or anything else, I'd be doing my best to get it away from them. As soon as that was accomplished I'd do my best to insert said object into a particular body cavity of my assailant.

[Mr. Security]

"A HEROIC security guard bravely wrestled a gun off an armed robber in the middle of a Streatham street."

It's tough to judge an incident when you're not there, but I don't think this was a smart move on the part of the guard. I'm glad it worked out, but it could have ended tragically for the guard.

[N. A. Corbier]

"A HEROIC security guard bravely wrestled a gun off an armed robber in the middle of a Streatham street."

It's tough to judge an incident when you're not there, but I don't think this was a smart move on the part of the guard. I'm glad it worked out, but it could have ended tragically for the guard.

It could of ended tragically, anyway, though. When confronted with violent attack from a person intent on doing you harm, there's the possibility that you're dead anyway.

They hit him over the head with a deadly weapon. What if he didn't fall down quick enough? There comes a time when you're dead anyway, you need to do as much damage to the enemy as possible before you go. If you're lucky, you'll do so much damage that you'll remove the enemy's ability to kill you.

The hard part, of course, is deciding when that moment is. In extreme close quarters, with a man beating you on the head with a deadly weapon, it isn't about "being a hero," its about surviving the deadly encounter any way possible.

[Lawson]

Im suprised the guard wasnt arrested for possession of a firearm

[1stWatch]

"... I don't think this was a smart move on the part of the guard. I'm glad it worked out, but it could have ended tragically for the guard.

When confronted with a deadly weapon like that, you are on the receiving end. The time for talking is over. Unlike the scene of an escalating disturbance, acting meek while in the face of somebody who wants to take you out because of the property you are guarding is not going to safe your life. On the contrary, it will get you killed faster. Look at what happened to that Scottish guard just a few days ago. He didn't put up resistance and he was shot in the stomach. No no, fighting the man off was the only thing that saved this guard from being shot. That and the idea the robber was stupid enough to use the pistol as a club before resorting to firing. That is something that is not done in the U.S.A. This was a combat situation.

[Mr. Security]

When confronted with a deadly weapon like that, you are on the receiving end. The time for talking is over. Unlike the scene of an escalating disturbance, acting meek while in the face of somebody who wants to take you out because of the property you are guarding is not going to safe your life. On the contrary, it will get you killed faster. Look at what happened to that Scottish guard just a few days ago. He didn't put up resistance and he was shot in the stomach. No no, fighting the man off was the only thing that saved this guard from being shot. That and the idea the robber was stupid enough to use the pistol as a club before resorting to firing. That is something that is not done in the U.S.A. This was a combat situation.

The fact that he didn't use the pistol to shoot the guard indicates that he never intended to discharge his weapon in the first place. When you are unarmed, it's best to cooperate with the perpetrator unless you have probable cause to believe that he intends to kill you anyhow. For example, he demands that you drive to an isolated area or tells you to get on your knees. At that point, there's not much to lose by fighting back/attempting to escape.

[N. A. Corbier]

The guy used it as a club, most likely, to try to take the guard out before calling general attention to himself by the means of a gunshot.

[1stWatch]

The fact that he didn't use the pistol to shoot the guard indicates that he never intended to discharge his weapon in the first place. When you are unarmed, it's best to cooperate with the perpetrator unless you have probable cause to believe that he intends to kill you anyhow. For example, he demands that you drive to an isolated area or tells you to get on your knees. At that point, there's not much to lose by fighting back/attempting to escape.

I have to agree with Corbier on this one. I have seen attacks of this sort before. There was no indication the robber was making any sort of verbal demands. His intent was to incapacitate the guard. This was not a situation that could have been de-escalated.

This reminds me of how one of our patrol officers got hurt a few years ago, responding to an alarm. The bad guy saw him through a window while he was inside in the dark and when the patrol officer entered the building through the door he found unlocked without any cover element, he got cold-conked with a crowbar. Around an hour later, some pedestrian saw him lying there and called us with his radio. He ended up spending a month in the hospital with head injuries.

The object was this: there's the uniform. The uniform is an impediment and now my target. Take out the target. That is how security is viewed in an armed robbery incident.

[HotelSecurity]

The object was this: there's the uniform. The uniform is an impediment and now my target. Take out the target. That is how security is viewed in an armed robbery incident.

Exactly why I remove my badge & hide my walkie-talkie when I respond to a call in the hotel where I don't exactly know what for. (Especially when called to the front desk, bar, garage cashier etc).

[N. A. Corbier]

Yeah. That's one of my big things. You are wearing a uniform to BE the target. You are paid to BE the target!

[Mr. Security]

The guy used it as a club, most likely, to try to take the guard out before calling general attention to himself by the means of a gunshot.

Exactly. He didn't want to use his gun because of the attention factor. That's why it wasn't necessary for the guard to fight him. He should have cooperated with the gunman.

[Mr. Security]

I have to agree with Corbier on this one. I have seen attacks of this sort before. There was no indication the robber was making any sort of verbal demands. His intent was to incapacitate the guard....

I don't know where you got that impression. All the article confirms is that the s/o wrestled with the gunman and ended up being pistol whipped. The article didn't say whether there were verbal demands made, or not.