Police impersonator arrested after three robberies

SIBU: A 41-year-old man was yesterday arrested by the police for suspected involvement in three robbery cases by impersonating as a policeman.

Sibu police chief ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit said the suspect who had been under police supervision in Sibu was arrested in front of a house at Jalan Kampung Hilir here at about 1.30am.

He said that three victims lodged a police report on Friday after they were allegedly robbed by the suspect in three separate incidents on the same day.

“The suspect first went to a house at Jalan Hose at about 9.30am holding a police vest and introduced himself as a policeman to the 56-year-old occupant.

“He told the victim that he wanted to inspect her motorcycle and instructed her to come to the police station to take back the bike,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Stanley said the suspect also used the same modus operandi when he robbed a shop assistant at Jalan Kampung Hilir at about 11am.

“He instructed the victim to hand over his handphone. The suspect later called the victim’s employer using the handphone to demand RM1,000.

“He also told the victim to come to the police station to claim his handphone before fleeing with the item,” he said.

Stanley said the suspect later robbed a 29-year-old man at a bus stop at Jalan Oya at about 1.30pm.

“Holding a police vest, the suspect told the victim that he wanted to inspect his handphone to check if he is involved in online gambling.

“The victim obliged before the suspect told him to claim the item at the police station after inspection,” he said.

All three victims only realised they were robbed after they went to the police station to claim their items, he added. The suspect is being remanded. The case is investigated under Section 392 of the Penal Code.