A man posing as a police officer tried to “arrest” a woman in Willow Point on Tuesday, according to Cpl. Ron Vlooswyk, a spokesperson for the Campbell River RCMP.
Police believe the same man aggressively confronted another woman in her parked car that same afternoon.
The first woman was crossing the street when the fake cop approached her on foot, according to Vlooswyk.
“She was approached from behind by an unknown male,” Vlooswyk told Black Press. “He said something like, ‘I’m the police and you’re under arrest.’ She said no and she pulled away.”
The man didn’t make physical contact with her but “may have tried,” Vlooswyk said.
Police received a call about the incident at around 4 p.m. The woman told police the unknown male backed off because witnesses were watching the scene unfold.
“She says there were people that were watching, so the unidentified guy left her alone,” Vlooswyk said.
The suspect was then picked up by someone driving a “white vehicle,” Vlooswyk said. He couldn’t specify what kind of vehicle it was.
READ MORE: Six deadly crashes on B.C. highways prompt police warning
READ MORE: Police in Ontario resort to ‘naming and shaming’ drunk drivers
She told police the man seemed “off” – possibly due to mental illness, drugs or alcohol – and described him as a Caucasian male in his 30s with short dark hair, wearing all-black clothing and white runners.
Soon afterwards, police received a report of an aggressive man confronting a woman in her parked car.
“This unidentified male started pounding on her window,” Vlooswyk said, adding that the man became more agitated when she called the police.
“Again, she wasn’t sure whether it was mental health issues or drugs or alcohol,” Vlooswyk said.
This second woman described the man along the same lines: “a Caucasian male wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, black pants, white runners, in his 30s, (with) short dark greying hair.”
Vlooswyk called the stories “disturbing,” especially because the man was trying to pass himself off as a police officer in the first case.
He said it’s important for people to be vigilant and watch out for each other.
“It there’s something that looks out of the ordinary, it probably is,” he said. “Maybe take a minute to have a look and if it’s suspicious, give us a call.”
@davidgordonkoch
david.koch@campbellrivermirror.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
