Deputies are searching for a man impersonating a law enforcement officer who forced a 23-year-old woman into his car and drove around with her for more than an hour.
The man was outside the victim’s apartment on Manatee Road when she arrived home from work at 10:15 p.m. Monday.
He told her he was a police officer, displayed an oval badge and informed her she matched the description of the suspect in a burglary that had just occurred. He then ordered her into his car and then they drove around.
A little more than an hour later, the man dropped her off at Santa Barbara Square in East Naples. She was not hurt.
The man is described as being white, between the ages of 25 and 30, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a thin build and short, sandy blond hair. He was last seen wearing black pants, a light blue button-down shirt and a multicolored striped tie.
He was driving a white, older model four-door sedan with tinted windows.
She reported the crime to Marco Island police on Monday. The investigation is now being conducted by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies ask that anyone with information call the CCSO at 793-9300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-8477.
TIPS
How to stay safe from law enforcement impersonators and allow officers to do their jobs:
Activate your hazard lights to notify the officer that you are complying with the request to pull over.
If it is dark, pull over to a well-lit area, such as a convenience store.
Call 911 on your cell phone and ask the dispatcher to verify that it is an officer trying to pull you over. Have the dispatcher verify your vehicle description and your location and stop when it’s safe.
If it is an undercover car with a plainclothes officer, request that a marked patrol car with a uniformed officer respond.
When you do stop, do not get out of your vehicle. Stay inside and lock your car doors. Look for an official agency badge, equipment or uniform. If the officer is in plainclothes, you can request that the officer show some identification. You can even call dispatch again to confirm their identity.
Officers should immediately tell you why you are being pulled over.
Trust your instincts. Call your local law enforcement agency immediately if you have concerns.
