Men Impersonating Police Robbing Residents of Lake Worth

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding two men who’ve been impersonating police officers and robbing residents of Lake Worth.

The most recent incident occurred on September 21 when a local man was followed home by a beige Nissan Altima after getting off the Palm Tran Bus. As he was about to walk into his house on the 300 block of South L Street, a Hispanic man got out of the Nissan and approached, identifying himself as an “independent officer,” according to the sheriff’s report. He then forced the L Street resident into his home where he demanded cash.

About an hour and a half later, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 3800 block of Kirk Road, west of Lake Worth, where a dark-skinned Hispanic man had knocked on the door, identified himself as a police detective, and once inside, told the residents to hand over their money and cell phones. They refused, even after the man pointed a gun at them.

There were three similar incidents in the weeks prior, with the victims describing the thief as being possibly Puerto Rican or Cuban. Some say he was light-skinned, while others describe him as dark-skinned. They say he was wearing plain clothes (not a uniform) and a green hat on his head. In one incident, he wore a badge. All victims described the man as having a hand-held radio which he appeared to be using to communicate with someone.

On September 14, a Hispanic man conned his way into an apartment on the 400 block of South D Street, telling the residents he was a cop investigating a drug complaint. Once inside, he searched the residents and took their money from their wallets. He told them to wait for road patrol and a K9 unit that was coming to sweep the apartment for drugs, and left.

On September 7, a Hispanic man walked up to a resident who was outside his home on the 500 block of 6th Avenue South and said he was a police officer and looking for someone. He told the Lake Worth resident to go inside his home, then followed him inside where he told him to put his hands up against the wall and emptied his pockets.

On August 17, a Hispanic man approached three people sitting in their front yard in the 100 block of South F Street in the early evening. He identified himself as a law enforcement officer and said he was looking for a suspect. They told him they didn’t know the person and that he didn’t live there. The man then lifted his shirt, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol that was tucked into his waistband and a badge, and ordered all three into their home. He followed them in, and once inside, demanded their wallets. He left with the contents. The victims described the thief as a dark-skinned 6’ 2” Hispanic man with a medium-to-heavy build, with black hair, a goatee and wearing a yellow shirt and black or green pants.

If anyone has information about these suspects or may have been a victim themselves they are urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.

Sketches of the two men imperonating police and robbing residents of Lake Worth (produced by PBSO, according to descriptions given by victims).