Cop con probe

By Bridget Brady
POLICE are looking for a man who pretended to be an undercover police officer when he threatened and placed a Blind Bight man in the back of a van in Tooradin.
Two men in a Mitsubishi van waved down the 19-year-old Blind Bight man after they almost collided with his car in Tooradin about 7.20pm on 16 March.
One of the men told the 19-year-old he was a police officer and that he was pulled over for dangerous driving.
The Blind Bight man was told he had to pay a $500 fine immediately or he would be arrested.
Detective Senior Constable Simon Polson from Casey CIU said the Blind Bight man was confused and scared, so complied with the man’s request and tried to withdraw the cash at a supermarket in Tooradin.
But he did not have enough money in his account and was placed in the rear of the van under the assumption that he was arrested, police said.
He was released minutes later unharmed, but police have not found the man responsible for the false imprisonment.
“He was very shaken up. One of the men stayed in the van the whole time and the other was the one who did all of the talking,” Det Sen Const Polson said.
Police are hopeful someone would recognise the Mitsubishi Delica van because it was uncommon.
“We’re appealing for anyone who might have been at the FoodWorks store at the time or anyone who has seen the van in the Tooradin area.”
Det Sen Const Polson said it was a person’s right to ask to see identification if someone said they were an undercover police officer.
“If police intercept you and need to speak to you and you’ve got any doubts you should be asking their name, where they work and their identification number.”
If anyone has information about the vehicle or the false imprisonment contact Detective Senior Constable Simon Polson at Casey CIU on 5991 0665.