BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux

Subject: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: LadyJean
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 01:56 AM

Ok, it was Monday night, around 10:00. Someone was banging on my door. I considered dialing 9-1-1. But answered it instead. There were two men on my porch, one in uniform, the other wearing a polo shirt with Fraternal Order of Police on it. They accused me of breaking the window of the local Arby's with a cane the previous Wednesday. They claimed an Arby's employee had seen me walking around on Sunday, recognized me, followed me home and found my address.
I'm presently limping on a damaged left leg. But I don't use a cane. I was too busy baking cupcakes that Wednesday night to go breaking windows, even if I had the inclination. I wasn't walking much of anywhere on Sunday, since my leg hurt.
I explained all this, but they insisted I was the person who had broken the window. The man in the polo shirt, who claimed to be a detective, insisted I should confess and offer to make restitution, or I would be charged with the crime.
They left after the "detective" said he would show my photograph to the Arby's employees and if any of them recognized me, I would be charged. I didn't give them a photgraph of myself. While I expected to be taken down to the station and photgraphed, that didn't happen either. They left in separate, unmarked cars. The whole thing was frightenning, and decidedly queer. I'm now wondering if the "detective" was a police officer at all. Any thoughts?

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Janie
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 02:17 AM

Damn! Pretty concerning. Might it be a good idea to call your local police station and inquire?

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: LadyJean
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 02:20 AM

I'm considering that. The local police are a notorious bunch of thugs. Though they're more considerate of residents than outsiders.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 02:46 AM

Definitely call a lawyer or legal aid and ask for advice.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Slag
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 02:51 AM

I would consider consulting an attorney and inform him/her of the incident so you can start a record in case abuse and harrassment should follow. If you are approached again let them know that you have consulted an attorney and they need to refer ALL future inquiries to that attorney. They will either have to present what they have or back off completely. And of course, the foregoing is my personal opinion and not legal advice (all except for the part about contacting a bone fide lawyer, that is!).

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: kendall
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 04:42 AM

I smell a rat. Someone may be pulling your leg.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 08:08 AM

>Damn! Pretty concerning. Might it be a good idea to call your local police station and inquire?<

Yes I would do that, if it is bothering your peace of mind tell the police. If you don't you will feel intimidated and vulnerable in your own home and that is no good. Then go for advice to be reassured that you did the right thing. They might try something like that to someone else.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 10:11 AM

Burn your cane in the fireplace    just kidding.

YEs shine the light of day on this and contact the police to report the upseting late night incident.

Over the last 6 years a group of right wing neighbors have made a dozen bogus police reports and 2 dozen bogus beaurocacy reports that are designed to make life hell and expensive. While I can not know their motives I am left to imagine that it makes them happy.

Not a single accusation has held water but at $2,000 a throw for lawyers, I would say they are winning.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 10:24 AM

Almost sounds like they were asking you to pay "restitution" to them. It sounds like a scam.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 10:29 AM

All it takes is a disgruntled employee to have a grudge against someone who complained and make an accusation.
It is not likely that the cops are out making dirty collections, but it is possible.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 10:38 AM

I didn't say they were really cops....

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 10:39 AM

Also cops don't generally ask you to pay restitution for damages on commercial property....that is usually what the courts decide.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Wesley S
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 10:54 AM

Did they offer any ID? Did you see any badges?

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 10:57 AM

If there are fraudulent coppers prowling around harassing potentially vulnerable people, the real coppers will want to know about it pronto.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 11:00 AM

How upsetting, either way. Do let us know what the real cops say when you ask them!

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Monique
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 11:47 AM

First it seems to me that cops don't come at your place at 10:00pm for a broken window. Besides, if you're supposed to walk with a cane, you're not supposed to run away are you?
Then they wear their uniforms when they're on duty, not polos, and they drive in one marked car and not two unmarked cars because as far as I know about the police ways, they use unmarked cars to go unnoticed when they tail someone and then don't wear uniforms, or when there's a radar inside.
Then you're asked for compensation after a trial when you've been proven guilty, not before.
So my opinion is that if they're cops then I'm the queen of England. So you should let the real police know. Pretty soon!

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 12:06 PM

You shouldn't have opened your door to them without seeing some sort of identification. That can be tough if you don't have a peep hole or a front window or a locked storm door. I suppose you could have had them have somebody call to verify their business - better yet, you could have called 911 (or your local emergency number) to verify who these people were and whether they were legitimate [and most likely, they weren't].

Heck, there were many times I went to somebody's door with a government badge and credential, and people still wouldn't open their door. And then there were the people who greeted me with shotguns when I arrived at their home after having made an appointment. That only happened once, thank God...

And then there was the woman who kept me standing at her door for 15 minutes, saying she was getting dressed and would be right there. Eventually, a police car drove up. I walked up to the car, displaying my badge, saying, "I guess I scared her, huh?" They went to the door and assured the woman I was legitimate, and then I had a nice interview with her and she was very cordial and helpful.

-Joe, retired Fed-

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Bobert
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 12:17 PM

Call the Police Chief, tell him what happened and tell him that you are not at all sure that these guys were real cops... Ask the Chief if there was indeeed a window broken at Arby's... Proacting is always better than reacting...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: gnu
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 02:23 PM

Call Arby's.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 10:10 AM

Next time, ask them to show you their police identification.

I like gnu's advice to call Arby's. Ask to speak to a manager.

"The local police are a notorious bunch of thugs."

According to whom? Did this rumor originate with the drunks, druggies, wife beaters, child abusers and thieves that the police deal with every day?

Just a question.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: kendall
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 12:10 PM

I've never been questioned by the Police for doing something wrong. I did get a speeding ticket 5 years ago, but I was speeding.
Driving for 60 years and one ticket for speeding. I'd need a better reason for trashing the Police.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: fat B****rd
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 12:29 PM

My sympathies, Lady Jean. Where are you? So I can behave if I visit. Also what is the Fraternal Brotherhood of Police?
Best regards from Charlie

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 01:06 PM

I'm now wondering if the "detective" was a police officer at all.

Right! Call the ARBY's (manager) to inquire. Did they in fact have a window broken? Ask if there is a police report number you can check into with the police. Then go to the copshop and ask to see it.

These callers may just have been casing the joint. Report their visit to the copshop while you are there-- intimidating people who did not show ID? It should be in THEM to display ID. Report an attempt to impersonate an officer.

And ask the neighbors to keep an eye on your place, and you, for awhile.

You keep a cellphone handy.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Rapparee
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 01:45 PM

You can buy a polo shirt with "FOP" on it. Detectives on duty wouldn't be wearing one -- it would be a big sign saying "I'm a cop, let me have it!"

Call the local Chief of Police and tell him or her about this.

You should also have gotten identification -- badge number, etc.

REAL cops don't like people pretending to be cops. They don't like it one little bit.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Maryrrf
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 01:50 PM

Please let us know how this turns out. It seems very fishy - I would have my doubts that they really were policemen. Keep your guard up until you get to the bottom of this.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: GUEST,josep
Date: 29 Oct 10 - 09:00 PM

Why would a uniformed cop be driving an unmarked car??

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: LadyJean
Date: 30 Oct 10 - 12:28 AM

The uniformed guy showed me a badge. The other one showed me a card. I didn't get a close look because my porch light is out, and I was scared.
I don't use a cane because the leg problem comes and goes, depending on how active I've been.
A friend and neighbor who is a legal secretary is getting me the number of a good lawyer. (Her son has had some difficulties so she knows a good one.) I just emailed a friend who was a police officer in Evanston to get his opinion.

I live, for my sins, in the borough of Swissvale. It's a blue collar suburb that grew up around a Union Switch and Signal plant that isn't there anymore. A couple of years ago, the local constabulary killed a drunk with a tazer. Which makes me leery of them. But they wouldn't like somebody dressing up and playing cop. Police generally don't.
And I'm sure Arby's has security cameras. They should have pictures of the woman.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: LadyJean
Date: 30 Oct 10 - 12:29 AM

And by the way, THANK YOU!

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: Sawzaw
Date: 30 Oct 10 - 01:27 AM

Don't answer the door unless it is someone you know.

Call the cops if someone persists.

People will even pull you over on the road pretending to be police.

Hearing all these scary stories here tonight I feel inclined to buy a pistole to keep at home. I haven't owned a gun since I had a .22 bolt action rifle as a kid. I forgot where I left it. And have never been on a hunting trip.

But I sure as hell don't want to kill anybody. Just incapacitate them or sare them off.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Oct 10 - 01:20 PM

Of course they could still have been police even if they were trying to bully you into giving them some money...

---

Threads combined. Messages below are from a new thread.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: BS: The Disconcerting Experience Redux
From: GUEST,LadyJean
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 12:29 AM

Ok, I can't seem to bring the old thread up, but I thought I'd give you the sequel.
Some weeks ago, two men came to my door at 10:00 on a Monday night, claimed to be police officers and accused me of breaking a window at the local Arby's with a cane.
I hadn't broken the window. I hadn't been near the Arby's in several weeks. But I had been seen limping by an Arby's employee, who followed me home, and took down my address. She also sent the alleged "cops" to my door.

Ok, Election Day, I'm handing out literature outside the polls, when I saw one of the "cops". He was in uniform, though not a police uniform. He's a firefighter. I found him on the local volunteer fire department's web page, got his name, found his facebook page and the name of the Arby's employee who probably put him up to it.

I wrote to the fire chief, explaining what the guy had done, and asking him to explain that it's illegal and really dumb to impersonate a police officer. I then explained that if he came to my house again, for any reason other than to put out a fire, I would call the real police and speak with my sister the lawyer.

By the way, we don't have a whole lot of privacy in this internet age.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux
From: Slag
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 02:55 AM

Thanks for the update. I wondered if you would ever discover what was really going on. Good for you.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 07:18 AM

Maybe you should ask the police to get in touch with the man in question so that they can officially "explain that it's illegal and really dumb to impersonate a police officer".

In fact I gather that in the USA the maximum penalty for doing this could be as much as five years in prison.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux
From: meself
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 09:36 AM

Forgive my presumption, but I really don't understand why you would notify the fire chief rather than the police chief. It is not particularly the fire chief's business, but it is clearly police business. This character may be more dangerous than you think.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux
From: kendall
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 07:50 PM

I knew I smelled a rat.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 08:22 PM

I say notify them both. The fire chief might fire him. (No pun untended.) The police chief might have him arrested, etc.

And I'd say speak to your sister the lawyer right now. She might explain to you that impersonating a police officer is a serious offense.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux
From: LadyJean
Date: 12 Nov 10 - 11:42 PM

I wrote to the fire chief, because this guy is a firefighter, and I have some respect for that. Anyway, he was only one of the pseudo cops who came to my house, and he wasn't the one who did most of the talking. (He played with his flashlight.) I wrote to the firechief on the theory that he would then speak to this guy, and explain that what he did was a bad idea. I don't want to go to court and testify. I just want to stop him from playing cop.
Though I'm rethinking that at present as there was something on the news tonight about a phoney cop who robbed somebody.
New policy: I do not open my door unless I know somebody is coming. My appologies to all Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, door to door salesmen, and the old gent next door, who sometimes wants part of my newspaper.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 06:55 PM

For future reference: if a genuine detective ever comes to talk to you, the first thing he will do is show you his badge and a picture ID. He will do this even if you don't ask him. And he should give you plenty of time to look it over. He will probably also give you a business card. He will not be offended by, or impatient with, your desire to make sure he is who he says he is. Identifying himself is a regular part of his job. And he knows that he is more likely to get useful information from you if you trust him. And he will want you to contact him again later, if you have any new information.

Subject: RE: BS: A Disconcerting Experience - redux
From: LadyJean
Date: 13 Nov 10 - 11:26 PM

As I may have mentioned, two bogus police officers stopped a woman in a neigbhorhood in the city and took $240 from her last night. I called and spoke to a very blase' officer about my two visitors. I gave him descriptions of the two men, and was thankful I didn't let them into my house.