Arrest after off-duty policeman pulled over by fake officer

By Q Radio News

A man's been arrested on suspicion of impersonating a police officer in Craigavon. 

It's after an off duty police officer reported being pulled over on the M1 towards Portadown at around 1am, by a car he believed to be a PSNI vehicle.

The officer challenged the driver after he presented an ID card which was not a legitimate PSNI warrant card - and the suspect immediately drove off at speed.

A 26 year old man was detained shortly after in the Bluestone Hall area and a homemade police identity card was recovered inside a car. 

A PSNI spokesperson said: ''Once the officer had stopped his vehicle on the hard shoulder, the driver of the ‘police car’, an unmarked grey Skoda Superb registration FT62 CEX which had been fitted with blue flashing lights, presented an ID card and stated that the off duty officer had been driving too fast.

''Recognising that the ID card was not a legitimate PSNI warrant card, the officer alighted from his car and challenged the man, who immediately drove off at speed.
 
''The suspect was subsequently located in the Bluestone Hall area of Craigavon and was arrested. A homemade ‘PSNI Identity card’ was found inside the vehicle.''
 
Chief Inspector Barney O’Connor added: “We are concerned by this incident and we would like to hear from anyone who believes they may have encountered this man while he has been purporting to be a police officer.

''We believe it is possible that this is not the first occasion he has done this and he was simply unlucky to have pulled over a police officer.
 
''The man is described as white, approximately 5’ 9” tall, medium build with brown hair and blue eyes and spoke with a Polish accent.
 
''If you believe you have had any contact with this individual or his vehicle, please get in touch with police by calling 101, quoting reference 44 of 14 October 2020.”