Woman arrested in Joburg CBD for impersonating a police officer and demanding passports

A 45-year-old woman has been arrested for impersonating a police officer in the Joburg CBD. She was allegedly part of a group going around demanding passports. Picture: SAPS

A 45-year-old woman has been arrested for impersonating a police officer in the Joburg CBD. She was allegedly part of a group going around demanding passports. Picture: SAPS

Published Feb 21, 2022

Share

Pretoria – A 45-year-old woman has been arrested for impersonating police in Joburg CBD, after she was allegedly part a group of fake police officers demanding passports from people on the streets.

“It is alleged that four bogus police (officers) stopped two women at the corner of Bree and Von Weiligh streets and showed them their fake appointment cards and demanded their passports,” said Joburg central police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele.

“They (the confronted women) failed to produce them and they (the bogus officers) demanded R500 from each of them or face arrest. The victims only had R100 and they told them that they were under arrest.”

The SAPS received a tip-off from a community member about the bogus police officers robbing people.

“The suspect will appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on February 22 (Tuesday).”

Joburg central station commander Brigadier Ivan Perumal commended the “good work” done by the officers.

He said the bogus police officers were tarnishing the image of the police in the community. Perumal thanked the community “for being our eyes and ears in the fight against crime”.

In October, three alleged bogus police officers, who used a Kia Picanto to rob people in Johannesburg south, were arrested.

The three suspects allegedly used police uniforms and a number of false number plates to rob several people along the N1 and N12 highways.

They were arrested in Soweto after the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) K9 unit spotted them.

At the time, JMPD spokesperson Senior Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the suspects were also linked to a case in Mondeor, where they had allegedly robbed people.

IOL