"Security Guards"

[GreenArrow45]

So recently 2 of my friends had their motor bikes stolen from the bike parking space at their work. When searching for the bikes (using a key remote that makes the bike beep) they could hear the bike in the vicinity, however, when questioning the security guards about it, they said that they didn't know what happened to it.

Now, I think they should have called the police, but they didn't saying that the police wouldn't do anything. Then a couple days later (this is what they tell me) they approached the security guards again and were told that, because they don't pay the guards a fee to lock their bikes there, the guards took it upon themselves to confiscate the bikes.

So what I'm wondering is, do these security guards have any legal authority in China? What would you have done in this situation?

[msittig]

Escalate. Talk to their boss and have him talk to building management.

[MakMak]

are they 城管 by any chance?

[gougou]

First check with others at work whether you indeed have to pay to park there. If you do, go to the guards, humbly pay up and get your bike back. If you don't, go there anything but humbly and if necessary escalate as msittig suggested.

[crazy-meiguoren]

I agree with the advice given so far. Take it up with management. The phrase "pay the guards a fee" raises flags with me. It sounds like the guards are looking to supplement their income in an underhanded way.

Your friends need to find out if their company has a policy on bike parking. Find out if there really is a fee required. If a fee is required then the guards should not be paid directly, but to someone who is authorized to accept payments and issue permits.

Security guards are hired privately to protect the customer's premises. While I cannot speak on behalf of Chinese law, in general private security guards do not have official law enforcement authority. They may be uniformed like cops and have badges, but they are not the kinds of badges that can give one authority to arrest wrongdoers. All they can do is help preserve order on the customer's premises by controlling who has access to the property, removing unauthorized persons, removing troublemakers, reporting incidents to the police, etc.

I do remember a thing or two about a security guard's limitations... I used to work as one myself.