Man posed as cop to lure student
Man’s comments reportedly ‘ forceful and aggressive’
CUPERTINO — Foothill-De Anza Community College District police are searching for a man who claimed to be an undercover officer and tried to lure a female student into his car Wednesday night.
The encounter was reported around 8:40 p.m. in Lot A at De Anza College in Cupertino.
“She said he told her she should not be walking alone, that he would give her a ticket and that she needed to get into the car,” police said Thursday in an email to the campus community.
The man’s comments were “forceful and aggressive,” according to the student, who was able to get to her car safely when another car drove between them, according to police.
No similar incidents have been reported on the campus, said district police Chief Ron Levine, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
“I’ve been at the college for 13 years,” he said, “and this is the first time we’ve ever had anything like this happen.”
Levine said his officers generally wear uniforms but will sometimes dress in regular clothes.
“Most legitimate officers would not identify themselves as an undercover officer,” he said. “A person can always ask to see an officer’s badge and identification card. The identification card is the most reliable, and if there’s any doubt who the person is they can always call 911.”
The student described the man as possibly Middle Eastern, with a thin build and hair shaved on the sides and slightly longer and wavy on the top. He spoke with a slight accent and was last seen wearing a gray T-shirt.
Police said he was driving a black latemodel, four-door BMW with heavily tinted windows, which prevented the student from getting a good look at two passengers who were with him.
Anyone with information about the case can call the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Police Department at 408-924-8000.