Fake Police Flash Headlights, Rob 2 People In PittsburghCar Pulls Over In Spring Garden NeighborhoodPOSTED: 3:46 pm EDT June 17,
2008 PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh police are investigating after two people pretending to be police officers robbed a couple in Spring Garden early Tuesday morning.Investigators said the two impersonators were driving a dark-colored Ford Taurus and flashed their headlights at the victims' car on Itin Street, near Spring Garden Avenue, at about 12:20 a.m.When the car pulled over, the fake officers ordered both people out of the vehicle at gunpoint and robbed them, then fled toward Madison Avenue, police said."They reported that two males got out of the vehicles with firearms pointing at them with what they described as two black semi-automatic weapons," Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard said.A witness at the nearby fire station on Spring Garden Avenue saw the incident but thought it was a plainclothes police unit and went back inside the firehouse.Police said the fake officers also stole the victims' license plate, which is an Ohio marker with the number ENF-2134."It's very frustrating because we know that there are all types of people and all types of perpetrators out there who are just waiting to pounce on innocent victims," Richard said.The driver of the robbers' car is described as a white man, about 30 years old, approximately 5 feet 10 inches and 180 pounds, with long, black, shoulder-length hair, clean-shaven, wearing blue jeans and a blue T-shirt.The passenger is described as a white man, about 30 years old, approximately 5 feet 8 inches and 170 pounds, clean-shaven and bald. What You Should DoIf you suspect a bogus police officer is pulling you over, you can drive to a well-lit area or to a police station. You can call 911 and request that a marked car come to the scene.Real police officers will activate blue and red lights and the siren when they're pulling you over.The police bureau said a real plain-clothed Pittsburgh police officer will not show you his badge from his wallet."They have clearly visible identification, either a badge that's around their neck or a visible badge that's on their belt," Richard said.Related Links: More County News Get RSS Headlines | Free Desktop Alert Copyright 2008 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
| ||||||||
   |
| |||||||
