Pair in trouble for impersonating police officers

Abu Dhabi: The General Prosecutor yesterday ordered the imprisonment of two men who allegedly impersonated security officers and municipality inspectors.

M.A. stands accused of carrying out an illegal inspection campaign without informing his employer or the appropriate authorities.

M.A. and his unemployed friend, both Arab nationals, allegedly stalked their victims — preferring single East Asian women.

They posed as police officers and municipality inspectors, claiming to be carrying out a criminal investigation and seeking specific evidence.

Their victims complied with their requests, presenting their passports and identification papers.

The suspects often insisted on conducting body searches, which the scared victims would agree to. However, during the so-called body search, the pair would touch their victims inappropriately and even went as far as to ask some of their victims to massage them.

Surprised at the weird requests, a couple of victims refused to comply and ordered the criminals out of their apartments.

However, that did not deter the pair from continuing their fake inspections.

Their luck ran out in a district of Al Ain where an Asian victim — who did not speak Arabic — called her Arab neighbour to translate. The neighour became suspicious and called the police, who arrested the pair.

Investigations revealed that M.A. had received intensive training — while working in the military field — in carrying out inspections.

He allegedly wore his uniform in carrying out the offences. The General Prosecutor referred the pair to the courts.

Public warned

An official at the prosecutor's office called on residents to be wary of such individuals and issued a stark warning that the authorities would deal with these crimes severely and to the full extent of the law.

"Impersonating a police officer is a serious offence and those found guilty will be dealt with severely. All members of the community need to verify the identity of anyone who claims to be a police officer and should ask him to produce his identification card," a senior police official told Gulf News.