NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A man impersonating a police officer stole another man’s wallet during a phony traffic stop in Manhattan in late August, the NYPD said Monday.
According to police the 36-year-old victim was driving on the FDR service road when he was stopped by an unidentified man operating an unmarked white vehicle at 26th Street around 2:50 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 25.
Police said the unknown man approached the victim’s vehicle and stated that he was a police officer before demanding the victim exit his car.
The fake police officer then asked the man to turn over his license and registration, authorities said.
When the victim retrieved his wallet, the conman snatched it from his hand and returned to his vehicle. He then drove off, heading northbound on the FDR.
The wallet contained credit cards and approximately $800, according to authorities.
There were no injuries reported.
The suspect is described as a light-skinned man in his 40's, 5'8" tall and around 200 pounds with a heavy build. The suspect was bald and was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and black sweatpants.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.