A 26-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested on suspicion of impersonating a police officer after an off-duty officer reported being pulled over by a vehicle be believed to be a police car in Northern Ireland. 

The incident happened on the M1 towards Portadown at around 1am. 

Once the officer had stopped his vehicle on the hard shoulder, the driver of the ‘police car’, an unmarked grey Skoda Superb – with a registration of FT62 CEX – which had been fitted with blue flashing lights, presented an ID card and stated that the off-duty officer had been driving too fast. 

Recognising that the ID card was not a legitimate PSNI warrant card, the officer alighted from his car and challenged the man, who immediately drove off at speed. 

The suspect was subsequently located in the Bluestone Hall area of Craigavon and was arrested. A homemade PSNI identity card was found inside the vehicle. 

“We are concerned by this incident and we would like to hear from anyone who believes they may have encountered this man while he has been purporting to be a police officer,” Chief Inspector Barney O’Connor said. 

“We believe it is possible that this is not the first occasion he has done this and he was simply unlucky to have been pulled over by a police officer,” O’Connor said. 

The man is described as being white, approximately 5’9″ in height, of medium build, with brown hair and blue eyes. He spoke with a Polish accent. 

Anyone who believes they have had any contact with this individual or his vehicle is being asked to get in touch with the PSNI by calling 101, quoting reference 44 of 14 October 2020.