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‘Don’t fightback’ message is just PR for criminals on the streets

Vic Barlow
28/ 2/2007

I'M GROWING increasingly nervous of all the TV programmes and newspaper articles warning the public not to fight back if robbed or assaulted in the street. It's a multi-million pound PR exercise for muggers and criminals.

If I were a petty thief shying away from more serious offences I'd reconsider my stance. With the Home Secretary telling us the prisons are full and continuous police warnings against intervention I'd be tempted to move on up to bigger things.

The message could not be clearer: bystanders will not intervene and the courts won't jail. It's a criminals charter. You can hardly turn on the TV or read a newspaper without being warned not to have a go.

We should not intervene; it's far too dangerous. So what should we do? Correct answer: phone the police.

Are we all clear on that? Good. Okay, so your son's listening to his i-Pod as he walks home. Three men block his path, knock him to the ground then start to kick him. What would you want passers-by to do: go to his rescue or walk away and call the police?

Second scenario: your baby is asleep on the back seat of the car. You stop to post a letter. A car-jacker grabs you and demands your car keys. What do you do? Fight like hell or hand them over and call the police as he speeds away with your child?

Of course if some drug-crazed mugger snatches your bag and runs off it's an easy decision but life's rarely that simple. The above two examples are taken from real life. How would you respond? Would you want passers-by to intervene or walk away and phone the police?

Let me know.


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Most recent 1 of 1 user comments

   Taser guns, what better punishment for someone trying to steal from you, and yes I think other members of the public should join in, Zapping the criminal till they lose all bowel and bladder control.
Simon, Macc
1/03/2007 at 13:21
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