Bogus cops robbing foreigners arrested

THE SAPS, in conjunction with the Joburg Metro Police Department, have arrested four suspects for impersonating police officers in the Joburg CBD.

SAPS spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said the four were arrested on Sunday at the corner of Bree and Twist streets. “Two of the suspects are females,” said Mbele.

“Police were on routine crime prevention duties when they saw suspicious people harassing the community. They were targeting foreign nationals, demanding passports. Police intervened and found them in possession of appointment certificates and handcuffs.”

In February, a woman, 45, was arrested for impersonating police in the Joburg CBD. She was allegedly part a group of fake police officers demanding passports from people.

“It is alleged that four bogus police (officers) stopped two women, showed them fake appointment cards and demanded their passports,” Mbele said at the time.

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

The SAPS had received a tip-off about bogus police robbing people.