The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help in identifying a man who posed as an officer before stealing jewelry from a victim that he accused of theft.
On December 7, OCSO deputies responded to the 7-Eleven gas station located at 4748 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in reference to a suspicious incident.
Upon arrival, police interviewed an elderly man who advised that at around 6:50 p.m., an unknown, white male suspect, about 40 or 50 years of age, assisted him with filling his vehicle with gas.
After helping the victim, the suspect advised the victim that he was a police officer and told the victim that he looked “too tired to drive,” according to police. The suspect directed the victim to park in one of the parking spots in front of 7-Eleven.
Shortly thereafter, the suspect’s vehicle began to flash with what the victim believed to be patrol lights.
The suspect accused the victim of wearing stolen jewelry and threatened to arrest him if he did not turn it over. The victim turned over the jewelry and, once the suspect had it, he took a photo of the victim’s driver’s license and advised that he would return the jewelry back to him within an hour if it was not stolen. The suspect never returned the jewelry.
At the time of the incident, the suspect was wearing a black, button-up shirt, dark-colored pants, and was driving a black pickup that appeared to have white and yellow flashing lights on the grill.
If you know the identity of the man featured in this story, please contact the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office at 407-348-2222.