HPD foils Police impersonation kidnapping

[jamisjockey]

http://www.khou.com/news/HPD-Men-posing ... 27833.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Synopsis:
Two men driving an out of state car with red and blues, wearing shirts that say "police" pull this guy in his driveway.
They "arrest" him for not using a turn signal.
Alert HPD officer sees out of state plates on unmarked car and stops to investigate.
"Police" are impersonators, and are taken into custody.



Lessons?
You have a brain, use it. Whens the last time you were cuffed for a minor traffic infraction?
Pulled over by an unmarked, and officers not in uniform? Demand that a marked car be dispatched. Call 911 if necessary.
I have the utmost respect for most LEO's. But, sadly, working out of uniform and "no knocks" have led to a whole new rash of crimes. That puts us, the citizen, in a bad spot. People are being victimized and even killed because they are too trusting, and that the mere word "police" means that someone is actually a good guy.
Food for thought.

[KD5NRH]

Lessons?

Put a little more thought into your impersonation.

It would be disturbingly easy to get away with this simply by listening to a scanner and waiting for all the real cops to be somewhere else. Frankly, it's comforting to have a scanner with all the area frequencies just so I can hear that the Village People impersonator behind me is really calling in my plate to dispatch.

[Rex B]

I had always heard that using a scanner in a vehicle was illegal.
Any truth to that?

[KD5NRH]

I had always heard that using a scanner in a vehicle was illegal.

Commercial vehicles, yes, and private vehicles in some states, (not Texas) but if you have an amateur radio license and the scanner is a part of your mobile radio station, there's a Federal preemption that covers it.

[KC5AV]

I had always heard that using a scanner in a vehicle was illegal.
Any truth to that?

It varies from (I think) state to state. I believe it is 100% legal in Texas.

[The Annoyed Man]

What is scary is that a couple of impersonators are working as a team. Usually these crazies work solo. What's up with that?

[mctowalot]

It appears the "arrest" was part of a larger plan. The "arrested" man used to employ the father of one of the suspects. The victim thinks they planned to force him to open his business for them so they could rob/steal/whatever from it.

I wonder what they planned on doing with the victim afterwards?

[LarryH]

It appears the "arrest" was part of a larger plan. The "arrested" man used to employ the father of one of the suspects. The victim thinks they planned to force him to open his business for them so they could rob/steal/whatever from it.

I wonder what they planned on doing with the victim afterwards?

Or if they even thought that far ahead.

[Texas Dan Mosby]

Stay alert, stay alive.


Good job on the HPD LEO for assessing the situation and making the arrest!

[jamisjockey]

What is scary is that a couple of impersonators are working as a team. Usually these crazies work solo. What's up with that?

Sounds like it was a robbery. One of the perps knew the victim, and had been under his employment in the past. The victim runs one of those cash checking places, which always have loads of cash....

[nitrogen]

Lessons?
You have a brain, use it. Whens the last time you were cuffed for a minor traffic infraction?

Ten years ago, for sneezing on an officer.
Technically, I was arrested for assault, but still. Charges were dropped by the DA.

Happened to a friend of mine last year in Dallas. Supposedly was weaving in and out of lanes (he wasn't, I was there) and was handcuffed and placed in the backseat of the police car "for officer safety" when he didn't have his CHL, and made the mistake of telling the officer he had a gun in the console. (MPA)

It happens more than you'd guess, especially if you are not white.

[WildBill]

What is scary is that a couple of impersonators are working as a team. Usually these crazies work solo. What's up with that?

I am sure you remember the Hillside Strangler case.