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Police impersonations in Indy continue

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Police are again investigating reports of a police impersonator.

Wednesday night a woman says she was stopped by someone who she thought was a cop.

It happened in the 4600 block of Stop 11 Road on the city’s south side.

According to the police report, this woman was robbed, and hit in the face.

After similar impersonation reports earlier this year, police have had enough

“It’s not a game, you robbed this woman, you took her money, its wasn’t yours to take, you impersonated an officer,” said IMPD Officer Chris Wilburn.

This is at least the fifth report of a police impersonator this year.

“Its cowardly, its dangerous, and also its illegal,” said Officer Wilburn.

The woman says the man demanded her license, grabbed her wallet out of her hand, stole her money, then punched her in the face.

“I guess I’ll have my eyes open wide,” said Maria Vandeman, who lives nearby where the incident happened.

In just the past year, similar impersonation reports came from Lafayette, Anderson, and Columbus. There was also a report of one outside Castleton Square Mall in July. And then just last month, a group of police impersonators robbed a brother and sister’s home on the northeast side.

“They put zip ties on me and told me to get down and put zip ties around my ankles and zip ties my little sister,” said John Ellis following the robbery.

IMPD says all officers, uniformed and undercover carry identification. They say you have the right to ask for that ID. You also have the right to stay in your car, lock the doors, and ask for a uniformed supervisor. After calling 911, you also have the right to drive to a well-lit area before pulling over.

In Wednesday’s incident the only information IMPD has to go on is that it was a dark-colored vehicle.

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