Hi everyone - It's been some time since I posted
on this site, even though I look in regularly.
<br><br>I went back to Harrow a couple of days ago, to
visit my parents, and took the family into town to look
around. We went into the new shopping centre, who's name
escapes me, and the St Annes centre as well. I can't
remember, but couldn't you drive down it at one time?
<br><br>Anyway, we were in a game shop looking for a game for my
son's Nintendo - Its his birthday in a couple of weeks
- when we saw a burly security guard walk past us
talking into his radio, requesting help. We though
"uh-oh, a shoplifter." I haven't got much time for them,
I must admit, but what I saw really annoyed me.
<br><br>The security guard, who was a big bloke, collared
this bloke by the shop entrance and wrestled him to
the ground, so that he was face down on the pavement.
Two more guards turned up, then two more, each one
bigger than the thief. After a few minutes, they dragged
him into the shop, where we were standing, rooted to
the spot. The shoplifter started struggling, so the
guards threw him into the corner of the shop and hit
him, causing the displays to go flying.
<br><br>Eventually, the first security guard had him against the wall
with his hand to his throat. The other guards shut the
doors, to stop him escaping, but trapping us in the shop
with them. By this time, my children were quite upset.
The guards let us go after a short while, so we left
the shop and walked through a cround of about a
hundred witnesses who had seen the whole thing and were
milling around the shop. <br><br>Although I don't like
thieves, this was over the top. It was brutal and cowardly
attack on an unarmed man by five bigger blokes who I
honestly think got off on it. It spoiled our day to
Harrow. I know that guards don't earn much and it's a
fairly grotty job at the best of times and that (in
England anyway) I think offenders get off quite lightly,
but still! <br><br>I'm not a lawyer or anything, but
I think that the guards themselves may be liable
for something - I don't know. Did any of you see or
hear of the incident? It happened on Thursday about
1.30 pm.<br><br>I remember going into McDonalds in
Barcelona a few years ago, just before the Olympics - '92
it would have been. I'm used to going into McDs and
buying a Big Mac or something and thinking nothing of
it, but in Barcelona, they have armed guards! I mean,
guards by the front doors with guns - real ones! Puts
you off your chocolate milkshake, I can tell
you!<br><br>That's what I like about living in sunny Bournemouth -
if a cat gets lost, it makes front page news for a
month! No, it's not all like that, we have our problems
as well. Honest.<br><br>Anyway, look after
yourselves. Not being used to violence, it shakes you up a
bit when you see it.