CHICAGO (CBS) — The real police have issued a warning about a bogus police officer who has been showing up at Chicago businesses and even homes.
As CBS 2’s Steven Graves reported Tuesday, the man has gone to great lengths to look like a cop.
As of Tuesday, police were still looking for the man. Graves spent the day asking around, but as of late Tuesday, no images of the police impersonator were available.
But real officers have been painting a metaphorical picture of the lengths to which this guy has gone.
The police impersonator visits neighborhoods and businesses. Armed with a gun, he flashes a badge to try to get into places. He is also dressed in a Chicago Police officer or sergeant uniform.
But a new alert from the Chicago Police Department says he is a fake – and they want him caught after at least three instances in which someone noticed something odd.
The latest was Monday morning, at the Chicago Uniform Company at 550 W. Roosevelt Rd. near the University of Illinois at Chicago. Real police officers get their clothing at the store.
Workers there did not want to talk Tuesday. It is likely they have the man – who is believed to be in his 40s, at least 5 feet tall, and about 230 pounds – on tape.
There are cameras all around the store.
Before this, on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 1, police said the man went to the Shedd Aquarium. Workers there told CBS 2 the impostor actually showed up in plain clothes in this case – going on to say he went to a loading dock and flashed a badge.
The man claimed to be undercover security, but could not dupe the workers at the Shedd Aquarium and ended up leaving.
Police said on Monday, Aug. 29, someone in a neighborhood who was on alert sighted the man for the first time. It was on the quiet 10900 block of South Wallace Street in the Roseland community.
Some people on that block – who also did not want to go on camera – were just made aware on Tuesday. They said they do not see many people at the house police claim the impersonator visited.
Everyone’s question is what the potential motive is for all this. Chicago Police have no updates since putting out the alert.
They want people in the areas where the impersonator has been spotted to be more alert, and report suspicious activity.
Anyone with information is asked to call Area Three detectives at (312) 744-8263.
Anyone who might spot the man is asked to call 911 and report his car and license plate information.
