LAPLACE – Two young men allegedly impersonated police officers in an attempted to rob a civilian during the early morning hours in the area of U.S. Highway 51 in LaPlace last week.
According to reports, a driver told St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies that he passed a black Crown Victoria car that was stopped on the highway. After he passed, the driver of the car turned on blue lights in the dashboard of the car and began to follow him. The driver, thinking it was a police officer, stopped and exited his truck.
Two young men in plain clothes, one white and one black, exited the black Crown Victoria. One had a stick in his hand. The victim felt that something was fishy and began walking back to his truck, but one of the suspects jumped onto his back and told his accomplice to get the truck. The victim pushed the suspect on his back to the ground and the two suspects fled south on the highway toward Airline Highway.
The victim was not injured
This incident is an isolated occurrence thus far. St. John Sheriff Mike Tregre encourages drivers in isolated areas to be cautious if a vehicle attempts to stop their vehicle. Drivers who are not sure that the occupants of another vehicle are acting in an official capacity should drive to a populated and well-lighted area before stopping.
Anyone with information regarding this incident should call St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office Detectives at 985-359-TIPS or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.