A manhunt is on in Pretoria for armed robbers using police appointment cards.
It was being driven by the Tshwane central police cluster after four armed robberies and a hijacking this month.
Police spokesperson Captain Colette Weilbach who said the culprits also made use of reflector jackets and blue lights.
Two city robberies were reported on Tuesday.
The first one in Sunnyside in Francis Baard Street saw a pedestrian stopped by a vehicle around 11:40.
The occupants flashed a police card at the man and told him that he was a suspect in a murder and robbery.
They instructed him to get into their vehicle.
While his abductors were driving around with him, the man was ordered to open his bag and wallet.
He was also forced furnish them with his bank card pin.
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The man was released after the culprits had withdrawn money from his bank account.
In the second crime, another pedestrian was called by two men in a white Volkswagen at a filling station in Hatfield.
Weilbach said they introduced themselves as police officers by showing him a police appointment card.
He was told he was a suspect in a burglary at an embassy where a large number of dollars were stolen.
They made him write a statement denying guilt, after which he was told to hand over his bank cards and pin.
The so-called officers used his card at different shops to make purchases.
Three similar crimes were reported in Silverton and Sunnyside last week.
The modus operandi was more or less the same and in one case the victim’s vehicle was also stolen.
“The complainants in these cases said the alleged police officers were driving an unmarked white, silver or grey Ford Focus,” said Weilbach.
“In some of the incidents a blue light was visible in the front window in other incidents they wore reflector jackets.”
Weilbach said these crimes tarnished the image of the police, undermining the trust of the community in them.
“The SAPS will leave no stone unturned to find the perpetrators,” she said.
“The possibility is not ruled out that the perpetrators may be appointed police officers and if they get caught they will be dealt with severely.”
She said it was also possible that the offenders were impersonating police officers.
“Members of the public must remember that police officials attached to the detectives or crime prevention units are working in private clothes.”
She advised people to ask for identification from anyone claiming to be a police officer.
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Officers in uniform had name badges on the right side of the chest.
Weilbach said if one felt threatened, it would be wise to take note of as many details as possible.
“In addition to the time and place, and the officer’s name and station or branch, memorise the licence plate number and look for the code printed on the side of a marked police vehicle.”
An inquiry was sent to the Tshwane metro, but they hadn’t replied by the time of publishing.
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