impersonating an officer

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Cops: They Flashed Fake Badges, Then Robbed Victims

Vasile Alexandru, 19, and Laurentiu Baceanu, 20, faked being ICE agents in California's OC, cops say

(Newser) - On Thursday, two back-to-back robberies in Orange County, California, captured law enforcement's attention for their similar MO: Two men in a blue SUV going up to their victims, claiming they were Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, then robbing them. Now, police in Anaheim say they've detained two men...

'Out of Control' Cop Impersonator Arrested Again

Jeremy Dewitte, nabbed for probation violation, blames YouTube hack for latest woes

(Newser) - A registered sex offender accused of impersonating police officers at least five times in Florida has been arrested again just three months after his release from state prison. Jeremy Dewitte, arrested for a probation violation on a warrant out of Orange County, is also accused of probation violation and refusing...

Prosecutors: He Called for Backup. Then His Ruse Fell Apart

Antione Tuckson charged with impersonating US deputy marshal

(Newser) - It sounds believable enough: Two women had an issue with their tab at a restaurant in Maryland's Prince George’s County. A law enforcement officer with a patrol dog who was working there as a security guard stepped in; they ignored him and left, so he called county police...

Man Accused of Creative Scheme to Steal Audi
Really Want
an Audi?
Don't Do This
Apr 13, 2022 7:32 AM CDT

Really Want an Audi? Don't Do This

Randy Cantwell arrested for impersonating federal marshal, trying to steal car in Tulsa, Okla.

(Newser) - A man in Oklahoma apparently had his heart set on an Audi, but his alleged scheme to acquire one didn't work out the way it was supposed to. KTUL reports that Randy Cantwell was arrested in Tulsa after police say he showed up at a car dealership in Tulsa,...

Retired FBI Agent Accused in Major Con

Authorities say William Stone bilked woman out of $800K

(Newser) - A month after retiring from the Dallas field office, an FBI agent allegedly began a yearslong fraud scheme that earned him more than $800,000—and potentially up to 178 years in federal prison. William Roy Stone Jr., 62, is charged with wire fraud, impersonating a federal officer, and other...

Cops: Guy Impersonated Cop, Swiped Doughnut

Daniel Mark Wright is accused of impersonating sheriff's deputy, stealing a 7-Eleven baked good

(Newser) - People have pretended they're law enforcement officers to pull people over , to make arrests , and yes, to get discounts on coffee and doughnuts . But authorities say a Utah man who impersonated a cop felt even more entitled, going so far as to steal a doughnut from 7-Eleven. Per a...

Guy Arrested on Same Odd Charge Twice in One Week

Florida's LeRoy Stotelmyer accused of impersonating a law officer

(Newser) - Hand it to LeRoy Stotelmyer, he doesn't give up. The Florida man was arrested Friday for allegedly impersonating a law officer only days after being arrested on the very same charge, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The 60-year-old's latest alleged offense: impersonating an officer to avoid paying a $2...

Cops: Boy Pulled People Over While Impersonating Deputy

Police say 14-year-old also had fake guns, counterfeit money

(Newser) - A 14-year-old boy arrested for pretending to be a sheriff's deputy launched phony investigations and pulled people over while driving around his Southern California neighborhood in an SUV equipped with flashing blue and red lights, authorities said. The unidentified teen was taken into custody Tuesday after deputies found counterfeit...

Guy Settles on Not-So-Great Way to Get Coffee Discount

Mark Stetter allegedly impersonates a police officer in Buffalo

(Newser) - A guy who didn't want to pay full price for a cup of coffee struck upon an extraordinarily bad idea to remedy that, police say. Gary Stetter, 48, allegedly walked into a Buffalo Starbucks, flashed a fake badge and gun, falsely claimed to be a detective, and demanded a...

Fake Cop Picks Wrong Guy to Pull Over: Police

An off-duty St. Louis police officer, to be exact

(Newser) - A fake police officer had the bad luck to pull over a real one in St. Louis, authorities say. Police say Nicholas Keeton, 20, was driving a Chevrolet Impala decked out with flashing lights and a siren when he pulled over a motorist and falsely claimed to be a St....

Trio Accused of Running Fake Police Force

One is an aide to California's attorney general

(Newser) - In January, police chiefs around California got letters informing them that new leaders were in place at the Masonic Fraternal Police Department. Which got them wondering, what on earth is the Masonic Fraternal Police Department? Turns out, it's a self-anointed group whose website claims jurisdiction in 33 states and...

Police: Fake Cop Pulls Over a Real One

Off-duty officer gives chase in Virginia

(Newser) - A man accused of impersonating a police officer had the bad luck to pull over an actual police officer, reports WUSA-TV . An off-duty cop in Dumfries, Va., says he pulled over when the Crown Vic behind him turned a spotlight on his car about 1am yesterday. When the Crown Vic...

Fake Veteran Once Impersonated a Dead Cop

Sean Yetman caught with Robert Hays' coat, badge in 2003

(Newser) - A man accused of impersonating a US military officer in a viral video was caught posing as a cop more than a decade ago. Sean Yetman pleaded guilty to impersonating a public servant in 2003, after he was caught during a routine traffic stop wearing the coat of a Philadelphia...

Cops: Wash. Man Posed as Policeman ... for 25 Years
Cops: Wash. Man Posed as
Policeman ... for 25 Years
in case you missed it
Sep 21, 2014 7:00 PM CDT

Cops: Wash. Man Posed as Policeman ... for 25 Years

Jim Bailey never graduated from police academy he went to a quarter-century ago

(Newser) - Something seemed amiss to police officers in Oak Harbor, Wash., who responded to an Aug. 6 call about an altercation in which a fellow officer required assistance. When they arrived on the scene, they found a man and woman who had been fighting and 69-year-old Jim Bailey, the supposed retired...

Cops: Guy Impersonates Officer During Test Drive

He allegedly pulls over a motorcyclist

(Newser) - It's one thing to impersonate a police officer and make a traffic stop . It another to do so while on a test drive, with employees from the auto dealership in the car with you. Police in Salem, Oregon, say Anthony McGuire did just that, reports OregonLive . Employees of a...

Cops: Man Impersonates Officer, Tries to Arrest Mayor

He allegedly claimed to be FBI agent

(Newser) - Police in the small town of Weaver, Alabama, say a man pretending to be an FBI agent showed up at City Hall in a failed attempt to arrest the mayor, reports the Anniston Star . When he was told the mayor wasn't there, Bobby Beck held up a pair of...

Fake Cop Pulls Over Real One

Detective pulls him over right back

(Newser) - The problem with impersonating a cop is that at some point you might run into a real one. Florida Detective Justin "Chance" Anderson was driving an unmarked car Monday when a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor he'd passed turned on its red-and-blue flashers. Anderson obligingly pulled over....

Dunkin' Donuts Fan Arrested in Quest for 10% Discount

Charles Barry charged with impersonating an officer, improper use of firearm

(Newser) - A Florida man who apparently loves donuts as much as he loves a deal has been arrested after his attempt to pair the two went wrong. Charles "Chuck" Barry got fired up at a local Dunkin' Donuts when employees denied him a 10% police officer discount he'd been...

Scott Brown's Brother Accused of Weird Boat Heist

He allegedly impersonated a cop to commandeer the vessel

(Newser) - Connecticut police arrested a man yesterday, saying that he'd impersonated an officer, and used that disguise to steal a boat. Police found Bruce W. Browne, 46, driving a blue Crown Victoria adorned with police lights. Inside the car they found three loaded guns, two pairs of handcuffs, a police...

19 Stories