Fake cops; the latest trend

[KD5NRH]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 0c9dd.html

Police impostor stops, shocks woman with stun device in Mesquite

12:40 PM CST on Thursday, January 31, 2008

By KIMBERLY DURNAN and MATT GOODMAN/ The Dallas Morning News

Mesquite police were searching Thursday for a man who posed as a police officer, pulled a woman over and shocked her with a stun device.

Shelby Lee Knight-Lacey told police she was pulled over at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday on Interstate 635 at Town East Boulevard by a man driving a white vehicle that looked like a police cruiser with red and blue flashing lights on the dashboard.

The man was wearing a blue uniform with no patches or badge and wore a hoop earring in his left ear, Lt. Steve Callerman said.

"He walked up to her and said, 'Get out of your car' and she asked him what she did wrong," Lt. Callerman said.

Ms. Knight-Lacey became suspicious when she saw the earring and a spider tattoo on the back of his right hand, so she started to roll up her window.

The man then stunned Ms. Knight-Lacey with what she described as a "cattle prod" but police said was likely a "stun baton" or two electric probes on a long stick. She managed to drive away.

"She's OK," Lt. Callerman said.

The man is described as black, slim, around 5-foot-9, with a scar on the left side of his neck and the spider tattoo on his hand, police said.

Lt. Callerman said the public should ask for identification when being pulled over by an unmarked vehicle.

"There are some agencies that use unmarked vehicles," Lt. Callerman said. "We don't for this reason. Ours are marked with stripes so there will be no question."

This was the third reported case of a police impersonater in North Texas area in past nine days.

On Jan. 23, a woman reported she was pulled over and searched by a man impersonating an officer in the 5100 block of Rufe Snow Drive, North Richland Hills police said.

The woman was driving into a parking lot when she saw flashing blue and red lights on a white four-door vehicle, North Richland Hills police said. She was then approached by a man wearing a dark-colored shirt who had no identification that he was an officer.

The woman told police “North Richland Hills� or “Richland Hills� was printed on the passenger side door in large block type letters.

The man took down information from the woman’s driver’s license and proceeded to search her car and purse. He then asked a series of questions the woman deemed to be inappropriate, North Richland Hills police said. She called authorities immediately after he left.

“If they truly believe that it is not an officer because there is nothing that identifies them as such, call 911,� said North Richland Hills Police investigator Larry Irving.

The woman described the man as 5 feet, 9 inches tall, 30 to 35 years old with strawberry blond hair and a stocky build. Anyone with information should call police at 817-427-7000.

On Jan. 25, Hurst police responded to a report of a teen posing as an officer. A 17-year-old has been charged for impersonating a public servant, said Lt. Mark Schwobel of the Hurst Police Department.

[Wildscar]

Well that one is definatly better than theone I posted earlier. Wonder if they are the same guy.

[Odin]

Not a fake cop, just a fake story by a woman looking for attention. She's now being charged with making a false report.

[longtooth]

Man we really dont need either one of these offenses.

[SC1903A3]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 0c9dd.html

Police: Woman lied about fake cop, 'stun gun' attack

05:16 PM CST on Thursday, January 31, 2008

By KIMBERLY DURNAN and MATT GOODMAN/ The Dallas Morning News

A woman who told Mesquite police that a man posing as a police officer pulled her over and shocked her with a stun gun may now face a charge of filing a false police report.

Shelby Lee Knight-Lacey told police she was pulled over at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday on Interstate 635 at Town East Boulevard by a man driving a white vehicle that looked like a police cruiser with red and blue flashing lights on the dashboard.

Mesquite Lt. Steve Callarman said Ms. Knight-Lacey provided details about her alleged attacker including that the man was wearing a blue uniform with no patches or badge and had a hoop earring in his left ear. She also described a spider tattoo on the back of his right hand.

She then told police the man stunned her with what she described as a "cattle prod" and that she managed to escape.

Her story, however, began to unravel when investigators reviewed security cameras installed in the area before the holiday season. Video from those locations showed that the report was false, police said.

"Eventually Ms. Knight-Lacey told investigators she had been arguing with her husband about money and made up the whole story to get sympathy," Mesquite police said in a news release.

Blisters on her wrist from cigarette ashes inspired her to include a stun baton in the alleged incident, Lt. Callarman said.

Mesquite police said investigators were now preparing a false report case to be filed at a later date.

Her story came days after two other cases of police impersonaters were reported in North Texas.

On Jan. 23, a woman reported she was pulled over and searched by a man impersonating an officer in the 5100 block of Rufe Snow Drive, North Richland Hills police said.

The woman was driving into a parking lot when she saw flashing blue and red lights on a white four-door vehicle, North Richland Hills police said. She was then approached by a man wearing a dark-colored shirt who had no identification that he was an officer.

The woman told police “North Richland Hills� or “Richland Hills� was printed on the passenger side door in large block type letters.

The man took down information from the woman’s driver’s license and proceeded to search her car and purse. He then asked a series of questions the woman deemed to be inappropriate, North Richland Hills police said. She called authorities immediately after he left.

“If they truly believe that it is not an officer because there is nothing that identifies them as such, call 911,� said North Richland Hills Police investigator Larry Irving.

The woman described the man as 5 feet, 9 inches tall, 30 to 35 years old with strawberry blond hair and a stocky build. Anyone with information should call police at 817-427-7000.

On Jan. 25, Hurst police responded to a report of a teen posing as an officer. A 17-year-old has been charged for impersonating a public servant, said Lt. Mark Schwobel of the Hurst Police Department.