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Criminals try their luck wherever they can and cause disruption and upset wherever they go. However, there are times when their luck runs out.

One persistent shoplifter in Bristol was jailed after he was caught by two security guards trying to steal from a Tesco supermarket. According to the Bristol Post, a shoplifter attacked two security guards working at the store on Gloucester Road by grabbing their private parts.  Edmond Xhuveli, 58, of Holton Road in Horfield, was jailed for six months after he was detained by the security guards.

And security guards were in the headlines again earlier this year for dealing with a knife-wielding man at a shopping centre.  The officers working at a McDonald’s restaurant near Cabot Circus in Bristol were working when a man allegedly threatened staff at the Horsefair after an argument with another customer.  A report in the Bristol Post said the man, in his 20s, became upset when he was asked to leave. An eyewitness said the man then pulled a knife out of his coat and threatened the security guard as the worker attempted to get him out of the exit.  The bystander had nothing but praise for the security guard who he said “put himself at risk” to protect everyone in the restaurant.

Both of these stories show the importance of security in retail areas and the benefit they bring both to high street businesses and the general public.

Another example of security guards stepping in to help was documented last year. In September 2017, security staff from Motion Nightclub pulled a young man from the canal after he fell in late at night.

Bristol Live reported the staff got into the water at about 10pm to rescue the lad. An eyewitness took photos of the staff clambering down the bank of the canal to get the man as an ambulance was called.

The quick actions of security can prevent more serious crime or further incidents. In areas with large numbers of the general public, such as shopping centres, a security presence can help to diffuse situations as they happen or deter any criminal behaviour.

These good news stories for Bristol are just some examples. As one of the largest cities in the UK, there are challenges faced every day by security professionals that go unreported.