Crime Time

DPD: Glock-toting fake cop accompanied real officers on calls

Dallas police are looking for a 21-year-old man who they said falsely claimed to be a military policeman and who actually helped real Dallas police officers answer calls and make arrests.

The man, identified as Ryan Caskey, had a U.S. Marine military police badge and wore a bulletproof vest and a Glock pistol, The Dallas Morning News reported. He drove a black Crown Victoria with blue and red flashing lights on the dashboard.

Police said that Caskey told officers he was a member of an FBI task force as he accompanied them on ride-alongs and in answering calls.

The paper reported that Caskey drew the Glock from his holster as he kicked in the door of an apartment as he responded to a call with a real Dallas police officer.

He hasn't been seen since a Dallas Police sergeant questioned him about his credentials at the scene where Caskey reportedly kicked in the door. The sergeant reported his suspicions to his supervisors, the Morning News reported.

-- Lance Murray

14-year-old fake cop OK'd for release, judge says

You may remember the story we posted in January of the 14-year-old Chicago boy, who dressed in a police uniform, snuck into a police and posed for hours as an actual cop. He even patrolled in a police car with a real officer for hours before being unmasked.

A judge now says it's OK to release the youth from juvenile detention, but he will have to wear a monitor.

-- Lance Murray

14-year-old fake cop takes to the streets in real patrol car

A 14-year-old Chicago boy nearly pulled it off. It was the star that gave him away.

Police in the Windy City say that the boy actually duped them into believing he was an actual officer and was able to go on patrol with a real officer for five hours.

He nearly got away with it, until other officers noticed that his uniform lacked a star that is a part of regulation police wear. He didn't carry a gun and never drove the patrol car, police say.

He's been charged as a juvenile with impersonating an officer and an internal investigation could lead to disciplinary action against some real officers, police say.

-- Lance Murray

Beware fake cops, office creepers and other posers

Yet again we see another report of a 'fake cop.'

Reporter Deanna Boyd tells us that a 21-year-old woman told the real police that a man posing as an officer fondled her Tuesday night after pulling her over in southwest Fort Worth.

The woman said she was driving over the U.S. 183 bridge near the Interstate 20 split around 9:44 p.m. when she noticed a spotlight shining into her car. She believed that an officer was pulling her over.

He ordered her to place her hands on the hood, then grabbed her breasts and buttocks over her clothing.

Seems like we've had several of these cases lately, but fake cops aren't the only people posing as someone else to rip off other people.

Reporter Alex Branch filed a story earlier this week about two young women who were arrested recently on suspicion of lifting bags and purses at area high schools.

The suspects, who easily posed as students, walked onto the campuses undetected and then got busy grabbing gym bags and purses, according to police.

We're not aware of a special term describing these school infiltrators, but we did learn about similar-type thieves -- the "office creepers."

These are people who sneak into businesses by walking among legitimate workers.

This has been happening a lot lately in Dallas, said Lt. Andy Harvey, police spokesman. Sometimes, he added, they wear the attire of people delivering fast food.

"They come posing as people who should be there -- either people at the business or service-type people," Harvey said. "People may assume they are delivering something."

Harvey said these tactics may have been used recently when a man got away with laptop computers from Dallas City Hall. The computers reportedly had "sensitive" information about grant applications for homeland security projects.

"It's important that we verify people coming in, either by security (or) just ask questions. They don't like that attention and if that's the case, they'll leave."

Harvey also urged workers to not leave valuables around for the fakers to snag. The same goes for students on campus.

As for fake cops, they always seem to have some sort of glitch in their uniforms or gear. Police warn that if an officer doesn't look real, insist on seeing a badge and call 911.

-- Bill Miller

Police: Fake cop faked his death to avoid facing the music

Here's the facts on Climmie Sealey, according to the police: He is a fake cop who faked his own death to get out of legal trouble.

Guess what. It didn't work. He's alive and well at the DeKalb County Jail.

Atlanta police say that Sealey has a long criminal history and had stolen a woman's credit card number to buy police gear. That worried authorities. Investigators eventually found him working as a security guard who had claimed to be an off-duty police officer. They say he also had posed as a parole officer.

He had hoped a death certificate would end his legal problems, officials said.

-- Lance Murray

Fake cop wearing a handgun takes man's cash

A 21-year-old Richland Hills man was robbed of some cash today after he was pulled over by what authorities called a fake patrol officer.

The holdup happened about 4:45 a.m. Wednesday in the 7000 block of Hovenkamp Ave. in Richland Hills.

The victim told police he pulled over when he saw flashing red-and-blue lights behind him. A man who looked like a police officer walked up to his pickup and asked for his driver's license.

When the motorist pulled out his wallet, the fake cop grabbed for the wallet and struggled ensued. The wallet ripped open and money fell out into the street. To escape, the victim drove away.

The fake officer was driving a white Chevrolet Caprice, but it did not have any markings. The fake cop also had handcuffs and a handgun, but he was not wearing a badge.

-- Domingo Ramirez Jr.