Are citizens's arrests a real thing?

[St0pTryingT0MakeFetchHappen]

And have you ever made one? Does it ever result in anything other than a scuffle? (I have no intention of making one, I'm just curious).

My dad did - about 40 years ago now. Spotted a guy in town wearing a very limited edition Shell jacket, identical to the one stolen out of a friend’s car that morning. DF grabbed him and marched him round to the police station. Helped that the guy was quite thin and small whereas DF was a rugby player. And that people didn’t seem to carry knives like they do today.

@CarrieBlue interesting! V unlucky for the thief that your Dad was so on the ball!

Me and DH made one, we were working security at a festival. He had just picked me up from home for my shift (he was on nights, I was on days, but couldn't get there without him collecting me) and as we drove back into the park we saw an early morning burglar rifling through one of the supply tents in the fairground (where the travellers do their own security). We gave chase and after pelting through the woods he tripped over and DH arrested him while I called the police. He got carted off to the nick and we had to give statements.

How interesting! Carrie and Gretchen did you say anything to your suspects when you made the arrest? Is there something you're expected to say in the way that police have to read the person their rights?

DH told him he was making a citizens arrest, and told him his name and that he had an SIA licence. You used to be able to arrest people at football matches (powers of arrest for stewards for certain things like going on the pitch) - these weren't citizens arrests and you would hand them directly to the police or put them in the detention sites. The law changed a few years ago though on that.

Odd. I'd have assumed that you'd just get a headbut and someone trying to stick their thumbs in your eye sockets if you tried this. Perhaps just knocked out. I spose it depends on the crime and the area, but I'd not be trying to apprehend any criminals in my locale . Still, the police don't want to either, unless theirs quite a few of 'em and a riot van; makes sense no civilian that's not gigantic and scary in their own right wouldn't either.

@AndNoneForGretchenWieners (great name by the way, I think we may share a love of a certain film) presumably you had training in safe restraint and self defense?

IIRC There are quite strict rules about what you can do otherwise you can get tangled up issues like false imprisonment. It has to be a situation where it isn’t practical to get the police also I think you have to get the police involved as soon as you can.

Just look at the members of the public who tackled the terrorist on London Bridge in November last year.

Any person arrest powers are enshrined in sec 24 of PACE.

Read it carefully though it waffles on about inditable offences. If you are unsure what that is then don't even start "trying to do the right thing"

I haven't but did once stop one. Old boy on a train was threatening citizens arrest on a young lad because he could hear his music buzzing from his earphones. It wasn't loud at all and definitely not indictable 🤣
I just pointed out that he was making more noise himself with all his ranting and he skulked away. Could have been interesting though

I always wonder if there could be potential legal blurring, if you perform a citizens arrest too forcefully could you get done for assault? If you keep them somewhere while the police come is that false imprisonment? Raises quite interesting questions

For a citizen's arrest, you need to KNOW that an offence has been committed.

For a police arrest, the officer needs to SUSPECT that an offence has been committed.

Very different burden of justification.

It’s still a thing in the U.K. but the scope is fairly limited.

I wonder that too Sparkles, dh used to watch a,lot of those paedophile stings on you tube and the vigilantes always use citizens arrest have often wonder what would happen if 'the "perpetrator" became aggressive or tried to leave if the arrestor used force.

@user1497207191 Source? No, thought not.....

Let’s be clear S24a PACE.
This is Section 24a of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 which basically codifies police powers and handily the powers of Citizens Arrest.
A quick google search will take you to the exact wording of the act and definitions of offences thar are arrestable. It makes clear that you cannot arrest for rubbish like noise. However there are various circumstances where you can arrest pending the arrival of the Police to formally arrest.
It is worth noting as @Sparklesocks asks, yes you risk significant legal problems if you use inappropriate force or wrongfully detain someone.
Basically no knowledge of your lack of power is not a legal defence.
So @Jesusinthecabbagevan, plenty of source after all and plenty of legal power if needed.

Source? No, thought not.....

The wiki link above confirms what I said. After all, what do I know, I was only a police officer for 5 years!

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/60/section/24A

If I could make this a hot link I would.
This takes you to the relevant bit of PACE in the national archives or there are lots of links on google happy to interpret it down to real language.

st0p yes both me and DH were licensed door supervisors and had level 3 quals including safe restraint. I wouldn't do it otherwise! (Plus I didn't lay hands on him myself)

An SIA license does give any powers of arrest or indeed authority of any sort. Holders of an SIA license are just members of the public.

I've done several times while working in security (am also an ex-police officer) mainly for theft and assault. You have to be very confident in your knowledge of the law, and use of force. Its not something I would recommend for everyone, although people have successfully detained shoplifters, robbers etc and as said above, the london bridge terrorist last year. It can be a bit of a minefield, but the law certainly allows it.

As PP said above, the SIA licence does not of itself give any powers of arrest as such, but the training does include this kind of knowledge.

Very interesting and thanks for the links -I shall read them during tonight's bfing marathon!

Starting to doubt myself now!

I've re-read S24A PACE a few times and it definitely says a person other than a constable can arrest if they have reasonable grounds to suspect the person has committed an (indictable) offence. S24A2)b). Can you point me to the bit where it says you have to know an offence has been committed @user1497207191?

PS haven't spent the last 7 hours rereading it