Police Worried About Latest Impersonator Cases

DENVER (CBS4) - Denver police want to catch a police impersonator who has been robbing people before he hurts someone.

Two people have already been pulled over and robbed. One incident happened at 2nd Avenue and Julian Street. Another at happened at 13th Avenue and Lipan Street.

So far police only have a vague description of the man.

In one instance the suspect pulled someone over and got the victim to stop with a simple flashlight.

"I thought he was a police officer," victim Ruby Barajas said.

Barajas said he had a uniform on and was in a dark-greenish SUV.

"I left here about 9 a.m. and he was sitting there," Barajas said.

Police said a few hours later at that location a man matching that same description and in a similar SUV pulled someone over with a flashlight and robbed him. Just a little later near 13th and Lipan police think the same suspect approached another victim on foot and robbed the person.

"This is the first time I believe we've had an incident similar to this where someone impersonated a police officer and robs an individual," Det. John White with Denver police said.

No one was hurt and police don't have any leads -- just a vague description. The victims said he was a 5-foot-7 Hispanic male with no facial hair.

"It shows the desperation of this person that they would, number one, pose as a police officer and, number two, actually use that as a way to rob someone," White said.

This summer several similar incidents involving police impersonators happened across the metro area. In one case a woman was pulled over in Aurora and sexually assaulted. Police can't say if those are connected, but want to get the latest suspect off the streets.

"If they're brave enough and brazen enough to perform this kind of act, where they pull someone over and forcefully take items from them, they could do the same thing or commit more serious crimes," White said.

"It's scary because I live here and have 10 grandkids," Barajas said.

In similar incidents police say if you've been pulled over are unsure if it's a real officer, feel free to call police to check. One of the incidents was different because the suspect was on foot. They say if you're approached on foot, feel free to ask the officer for an ID. Also try to be in a public place.