Man, 32, arrested for impersonating police officer

SINGAPORE - The police have arrested a 32-year-old man for Cheating by Personation where he is believed to have identified himself as a police officer and deceived the victims on the pretext that he would be able to obtain an extension of their social visit passes.

On Nov 30, the police received a report from a 29-year-old female victim regarding her encounter at Smith Street, where the suspect identified himself as a police officer with a card which resembled a police warrant card.

The suspect then told her that he was able to obtain an extension of her social visit pass for $1,050. The victim eventually gave him $400 as a deposit and agreed to settle the balance on the next day. However, the victim became suspicious of the suspect after the transaction and later lodged a police report.

If convicted of Cheating by Personation, the suspect will face a jail term of up to five years, or fine, or both.

The police advises the public to be vigilant and wary of persons who may impersonate as police officers to facilitate theeir criminal acts.

If in doubt, they should request for the police officer's warrant card to verify his identity before complying with the instructions of the officer.

A genuine warrant card will have identification features such as the police crest, the photo of the officer, his name and NRIC number.

If they are still unsure of the person's credibility as a police officer, they should call 999 for assistance.

For more information on how to identify and verify the authenticity of a police officer, visit https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150337396324408.428410.56706929407&type=3.

minlee@sph.com.sg