uk Personal safety & immediate danger

What to do if…
you see someone trying to enter a restricted area and you are worried about safety

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: 20 May 2026 Last reviewed: 17 July 2026 Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Move to a safer position and alert on-site security or staff immediately. Call 999 if there is immediate danger, violence, threats, forced entry, a weapon, or a crime happening now.

Do not do these things

Don’t confront, block, grab, or challenge the person yourself.
Don’t follow them into the restricted area.
Don’t move closer to film or identify them.
Don’t shout accusations in a crowded space if that could escalate the situation.
Don’t post identifying images or video publicly while it is ongoing.
Don’t dismiss the concern just because you are not certain what is happening.

What to do now

Move to a safer position.
Step back, keep exits clear, and put distance between you and the person. Do not stay close just to watch.
Alert on-site security or staff immediately.
Go to the nearest staffed point, such as reception, a steward, a guard, a control room, or a duty manager. If there is an internal emergency number, radio call, help point, or alarm procedure, use it.
Call 999 if there is immediate danger.
Call 999 if the person is forcing entry, has a weapon, is making threats, is behaving violently, is still nearby after a possible crime, or you think someone may be in immediate danger.
Use 101 or online police reporting if it is not an emergency.
If the situation is concerning but not urgent, contact police on 101 or use the local police online reporting route.
Give simple facts, not theories.
Say where you are, what the person is doing, the direction they went, and a brief description. Include specific details such as “trying doors”, “tailgating behind staff”, “climbing a fence”, “near children”, “near machinery”, or “near a crowded event”.
If this is on the rail network or at a station, use the rail reporting route for non-emergencies.
Tell rail staff or British Transport Police. For non-emergency concerns, text 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40. If there is immediate danger, call 999.
If it may be terrorism-related, report it without trying to investigate.
For an immediate threat, move away and call 999. If it is not an emergency, you can report possible terrorist activity online or call the Anti-Terrorism Hotline on 0800 789 321.
After reporting, stop intervening and stay reachable if safe.
Move to a safer place. If responders may need more details and it is safe to do so, keep your phone available.

What can wait

You don’t need to decide now whether it was definitely criminal, terrorism-related, or a misunderstanding.
You don’t need to gather proof, identify the person, or follow them.
You don’t need to write a full statement immediately.
You don’t need to post about it online.

Important reassurance

It is reasonable to report a possible security breach when you are worried it could lead to harm. You are not expected to investigate or be certain before raising the concern.

Scope note

These are first steps only, for the earliest safe pause. Later decisions, including workplace reporting, security review, or formal statements, may need help from the relevant security team, police, employer, venue, or specialist adviser.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, security, medical, therapeutic, financial, or other professional advice. If you think anyone is in immediate danger, prioritise getting to safety and calling emergency services.

Additional Resources

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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