In the heart of London, a man suspected of carrying a knife was successfully disarmed and detained through a citizen’s arrest, thanks to the swift actions of private security personnel known as ‘bobbies on the beat’.
Four members of My Local Bobby, a private security service, rushed to the scene in Leicester Square during the early hours of Sunday after it was reported that one man suffered stab wounds and another had been slashed.
The dramatic moments were captured on their body cameras, as the guards demanded the suspect to “drop the knife” while restraining him on the ground.
Once handc , he was handed over to an armed police response unit. Authorities also recovered two knives, and several injured individuals were transported to the hospital for care.
A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police indicated they were alerted to the scene at 1:08 AM regarding “reports of a man with a knife threatening the public”.
They later noted that four men, aged between their 20s to 30s, suffered injuries, which are not considered life-threatening.
A 50-year-old man was arrested for several offenses, including grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon, and he too was taken to the hospital.
The police stated that they view this incident as isolated and acknowledged that their investigation continues.
The incident occurred just a day after the same My Local Bobby officers received recognition from the police for their life-saving actions during a different knife attack.
Recently, a confidential report revealed concerns about knife attacks in Leicester Square, hinting that the Metropolitan Police should consider arming officers with firearms for their protection.
This review was initiated after two officers were stabbed in 2022 while equipped with batons and Tasers. Yet, the decision-makers opted not to enhance arming protocols, prioritizing the tradition of ‘policing by consent’ instead. Instead, they erred towards deploying specialized firearms teams for knife-related emergencies when absolutely necessary.
My Local Bobby, initiated by former Met detective chief inspector David McKelvey, aims to enhance neighborhood safety, tackling issues like theft and vandalism in specific areas, including Soho and surrounding London regions.
This team does more than just apprehend suspects; they also carry out independent prosecutions if the police choose to bypass taking action.
McKelvey praised his “bobbies” for showing remarkable courage by directly confronting a knife-wielding suspect who had already harmed someone and posed a risk to many others.
He elaborated, stating, “They apprehended the man despite a violent confrontation and retrieved two dangerous knives he was using.”
Notably, just a year ago, My Local Bobby guards intervened in another alarming incident in Leicester Square, where a male was suspected of attacking an 11-year-old girl with a knife during an assault. They played a crucial role in ensuring that the suspect was immobilized until the police arrived.
On a broader scale, incidents of knife crimes in London are alarmingly rising, with England and Wales registering 53,047 offenses involving knives or sharp tools in the period ending March 2025, marking a slight 1% decrease from the previous year. During that time, the Metropolitan Police accounted for around 31% of all occurrences, translating to approximately 16,445 offenses reported.
