Osceola deputies seeking officer-impersonating theft suspect

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office are asking for help tracking down a man who they say claimed to be a police officer so he could get away with theft.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

Deputes responded to the 7-Eleven gas station on West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee on Dec. 7 after an elderly man called to report the incident.

READ: Suspect who randomly shot women at 2 Orlando hotels says it ‘felt good,’ provided ‘sense of relief’

The victim said the suspect first offered to help him pump his gas before he claimed to be a police officer.

The victim told police that the suspect then told him he looked too tired to drive and advised him to park in front of the store. Deputies say, at that point, the suspect’s vehicle began to flash what appeared to the victim to be patrol lights.

READ: Man accused of ‘brutal’ rape, attempted murder of Orange County woman in custody

The victim told deputies the suspect then accused him of wearing stolen jewelry and threatened to arrest him if he didn’t turn it over.

According to the sheriff’s office, once the suspect had the jewelry in his possession, he photographed the victim’s driver’s license and claimed he would return the jewelry within the hour if it turned out not to be stolen. However, the victim says the suspect never tried to contact him again.

READ: Conway Elementary evacuated due to 2nd threat this week

The suspect was described as a white man wearing a black, button-up shirt and dark-colored pants. Deputies say he was driving a black pickup truck that appeared to have white and yellow flashing lights on the grill.

The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information on the suspect to call them at (407) 348-2222.

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

©2022 Cox Media Group