Prominent Bitcoin podcaster and Real Bedford FC owner Peter McCormack says he’s ready to take on Bedford’s crime problem himself—stepping into a role some might compare to a real-life Batman.
“If the police won’t keep the town safe for our women and children, I will,” McCormack declared in a post on X Friday. He revealed he’s personally funding a pilot security project in his hometown of Bedford, UK, which will see 10 guards patrolling the town center every Saturday.
“The police have let us down,” says McCormack
“Why? Because the police have failed us,” McCormack said. “There are more drug addicts, more aggressive beggars, more shoplifters—and as a result, fewer people are coming into town. Women are being harassed, shops are shutting down, and families no longer feel safe.”
He added that his decision followed multiple warnings to local authorities. “The police aren’t doing their job. I gave them fair warning,” McCormack said.
McCormack has long been a vocal advocate for Bedford, a town of around 185,800 people located less than two hours from London, according to Total Population data. He owns multiple businesses in the area and is the owner of Real Bedford FC—often referred to as the “Bitcoin soccer team”—which is backed by Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss.
He said he has conducted surveys among Bedford residents about the rise in crime and has invited the local community to attend a public meeting to help build further support for his initiative.
It remains unclear how these private security guards will operate in public or what level of authority they will have, especially since vigilantism is illegal in the UK, according to JD Spicer Zeb Solicitors.
However, their role may be limited to acting as eyes on the ground—gathering video evidence and reporting incidents to the police—similar to the growing number of traffic vigilantes seen across the country.
Authorities worldwide report a growing reliance on private security forces
While the idea of privately funded security might seem unconventional, some experts say it’s becoming more common in response to stretched public resources.
In May, Lieutenant Eric J. Altorfer of the San Francisco Police Department noted that staffing shortages have increasingly pushed communities to rely on private security firms to help maintain public safety.
“Private security is already playing a crucial role by stepping in where our department lacks resources,” Altorfer said.
However, he stressed that these efforts only work when there’s strong collaboration between private firms and public law enforcement.
“The challenge now is creating a formal structure that ensures both accountability and effectiveness,” he added.
