(Dec. 8, 2016) Police continue to search for three men accused of impersonating police officers in order to rob a Brooklyn, New York woman just outside of Snow Hill on Dec. 1.
The unidentified, pregnant 38-year-old woman told investigators she was driving to Norfolk, Virginia when she pulled over in response to a Chevrolet SUV with Maryland registration flashing blue and red lights.
The victim told police she was driving from her home to Norfolk in a rented vehicle, when she responded to the flashing lights in the area of the intersection of Whiton Road and Snow Hill Road.
The victim told police the first man approached the driver side of the car and sprayed pepper spray into the vehicle before spraying it onto a towel that he held over her face. The victim said she then got out of the car, and was punched in the stomach by same man.
The victim said the second man was holding a small black handgun and wearing a gold badge on a chain around his neck. He allegedly stole her purse, which contained cash and, according to the victim, an ornately jeweled belt of great value. The victim said the third man remained at the rear of the suspects’ vehicle.
The three perpetrators then left the scene in their vehicle, and haven’t been seen since.
The first assailant is described as an African-American male with short hair and a full beard. He was reported to be wearing a black suit, white shirt and tie.
The second man is described as a bald African-American male with no facial hair and was wearing black pants and a white shirt. He was said to be carrying a small black handgun.
The third person is described as a white male with either a shaved head or short hair. He was described as wearing a zippered black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.
After the incident, the woman called 911 and was told to pull over so troopers could locate her. She was found in Powellville, near the intersection of Powellville Road and Webb Road, a few miles north of where the incident had allegedly occurred.
According to Google maps, the trip from Brooklyn to Norfolk by way of Snow Hill should take about seven hours. At the time of the incident, the trip was a little more than halfway complete.
“The first thing I want to say is that this doesn’t occur often — we don’t want to scare people,” Lt. Ryan Bricker of the Salisbury barracks said. “Not everyone making a traffic stop is in uniform.”
The best things to do, Bricker said, if a suspicious unmarked vehicle attempts to pull your vehicle over, is to find a well-lit or populated area and call 911.
“You won’t get a ticket for being on your phone,” Bricker said. “Identify yourself and give a description of the vehicle or person. Don’t open the door; don’t open the window. Stay on the phone with 911, request to see the badge of the person approaching the vehicle and request a uniformed officer.”
Bricker said drivers should tell the person who approaches the vehicle that 911 has been contacted and a uniformed officer is on the way.
A genuine police officer, Bricker said, would have no problems with any of these precautions. Someone attempting to impersonate an officer, he continued, might even be scared off at this point.
Anyone who may have seen these vehicles stopped in the area of Whiton Road and Snow Hill Road on Dec. 1, or who may have seen a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle description, is requested to contact Maryland State Police at 410-749-3101, or 410-641-3101. Callers may remain anonymous.
The unidentified, pregnant 38-year-old woman told investigators she was driving to Norfolk, Virginia when she pulled over in response to a Chevrolet SUV with Maryland registration flashing blue and red lights.
The victim told police she was driving from her home to Norfolk in a rented vehicle, when she responded to the flashing lights in the area of the intersection of Whiton Road and Snow Hill Road.
The victim told police the first man approached the driver side of the car and sprayed pepper spray into the vehicle before spraying it onto a towel that he held over her face. The victim said she then got out of the car, and was punched in the stomach by same man.
The victim said the second man was holding a small black handgun and wearing a gold badge on a chain around his neck. He allegedly stole her purse, which contained cash and, according to the victim, an ornately jeweled belt of great value. The victim said the third man remained at the rear of the suspects’ vehicle.
The three perpetrators then left the scene in their vehicle, and haven’t been seen since.
The first assailant is described as an African-American male with short hair and a full beard. He was reported to be wearing a black suit, white shirt and tie.
The second man is described as a bald African-American male with no facial hair and was wearing black pants and a white shirt. He was said to be carrying a small black handgun.
The third person is described as a white male with either a shaved head or short hair. He was described as wearing a zippered black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.
After the incident, the woman called 911 and was told to pull over so troopers could locate her. She was found in Powellville, near the intersection of Powellville Road and Webb Road, a few miles north of where the incident had allegedly occurred.
According to Google maps, the trip from Brooklyn to Norfolk by way of Snow Hill should take about seven hours. At the time of the incident, the trip was a little more than halfway complete.
“The first thing I want to say is that this doesn’t occur often — we don’t want to scare people,” Lt. Ryan Bricker of the Salisbury barracks said. “Not everyone making a traffic stop is in uniform.”
The best things to do, Bricker said, if a suspicious unmarked vehicle attempts to pull your vehicle over, is to find a well-lit or populated area and call 911.
“You won’t get a ticket for being on your phone,” Bricker said. “Identify yourself and give a description of the vehicle or person. Don’t open the door; don’t open the window. Stay on the phone with 911, request to see the badge of the person approaching the vehicle and request a uniformed officer.”
Bricker said drivers should tell the person who approaches the vehicle that 911 has been contacted and a uniformed officer is on the way.
A genuine police officer, Bricker said, would have no problems with any of these precautions. Someone attempting to impersonate an officer, he continued, might even be scared off at this point.
Anyone who may have seen these vehicles stopped in the area of Whiton Road and Snow Hill Road on Dec. 1, or who may have seen a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle description, is requested to contact Maryland State Police at 410-749-3101, or 410-641-3101. Callers may remain anonymous.