A friend of mine was a copper in the 80s. He and a few other hundred coppers had gone for some sort of training (if I remember rightly). They were all returning from this training, so about 50 or so of them were travelling in the same car on the underground.

There were only a couple of other people on the car: a young woman and a young man who seemed to have a preoccupation with the young woman’s handbag.

Of course, he seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that, apart from him and the young lady, the car was filled with young, well-built men, all with short back and sides. It didn’t seem to dawn on him that all these young men, and women, might be coppers.

Anyway, as the train was drawing into the next station, all these coppers were looking at him to see what he would do. Again, if he thought he was being given any special attention, it didn’t register.

My friend told me he was thinking, “Do it, do it,” as — apparently — were all the other coppers on the train.

So, as the doors of the train opened, the young man grabbed the lady’s handbag and jumped out.

It must have been a sight to see 50 coppers or so all rushing out the doors at the same time, tackling the would-be mugger, and arresting the young reprobate.

The entire incident from bag snatching to arrest must have lasted all of five seconds. Instant enough for you?