This is a warning to everyone to be on their guard after an imitation unmarked police car tried to stop me this evening. The car was a 10 yr old volvo box shaped burgendy/dark colour with square headlights and a loud exhuast, it also had small blue led's on each side behind the grills. It waited till we had left the town we were in and was out in the middle of no where and had been following us rather close around town after coming flying up behind us.

I have spoken to the police who have said to look for the following:

The cars they use are newish and not battered up heaps.

The headlights will pulsate from one side to the other.

They will give a quick blast of the siren

The officer will be in uniform

If you are flashed down by a car which doesnt seem right then ring 999 immediately.

good warning, but the loud exhaust would alert me right away that it was fake. Sounded like some chavs were just out messing about.

Thats a bit random.

Sure they would catch people off guard though, asking them to get out the car, then they'd jump in.

they will try anything these days mate if the car is on the wanted list (stolen to order) then they will do anything. alot of people would be fooled by this i will keep my eyes peeled....

:mad:

scum even if it was for a joke big probs for them if caught did you get the req atall?

Nasty, hope they get caught, impersonating a Police Officer is a very serious offense. Pity you weren't close to a Police station. Just drive in and park.

i was going the oppersite way to the police station and i know what most of the local unmarked cars looked like. Because i had moved through some lights into a 50 limit i accelerated a bit hard and just before the termulus hoping to put a safe distance between this car and me as it had been following very close, as i crossed into the 50 limit i could here the roar of the car behind (music turned down) and then saw the blue led;s flashing then remember thinking s--t but carried on as i wasnt going to stop in the middle of no where knowing the next town was a mile away, but the more i scanned over the car and rationly thought about things they all didnt weigh up so i carried on and was getting ready to do some fancy driving. Waited till i got home before ringing the old bill as i didnt think they would take me serious at first, but the officer said it was a serious offence and knowing its a local traffic hq too is well patrolled

Worth keeping an eye out for it for sure, and report the barstewards

Hope they get caught!

Thanks for the heads up

Proper undercover police cars are easy to spot, they have proper blue coloured beacons.

Thanks for the heads up as it's easy to get caught with your guard down.

Sad thing is...

it's probably not too difficult to get off the net or ebay...

a wig-wag light relay

police style lights

a police soundylike siren (in fact some alarms don't sound too dissimilar to police sirens and can be used in "panic" mode)

something that looks very close to a police uniform

I was driving home one evening last week, (for those of you in East Lothian, between Drem and Longniddry) on busy country road, when I saw blue flashing lights coming towards me.

As the car passed I saw it was an older Saxo and the lights were behind the front grill. Make me grin at first, until I thought about them being used for serious offences like the OP.

As anewman says, these things are now so easy to buy online, the surprise is that it doesn't happen more often.

Good luck to them if they get caught......

I'd laugh if they'd tried to pull a genuine unmarked police car.

Ask to see warrant card ? - watch 'em high-tail it.

nick

Docackastan mafia if you ask me, just carry an Uzi at all times, it's more accurate than an AK47.

As the cops said, they don't drive heaps, well they do to a degree for certain things but traffic isn't one of them.

Any BIB on here care to correct -AFAIA a 999 on a mobile is legal whilst driving -just keep driving and "come into my larder said the trafpol to the chav"

Any BIB on here care to correct -AFAIA a 999 on a mobile is legal whilst driving -just keep driving and "come into my larder said the trafpol to the chav"

Wouldn't be classified as an emergency until they actually commit an offense. (Ok they've committed an offense with their blue lights etc, but the police won't be interested in that.) Think they'd only start getting interested if you told the police they had a gun and were waving it at you.

Think you'll find they take "impersonating " and the other implied consequences (especially as this happened in the sticks ) very seriously .

BTW - where about in oxon (got family living/driving in North Oxon)

Any BIB on here care to correct -AFAIA a 999 on a mobile is legal whilst driving -just keep driving and "come into my larder said the trafpol to the chav"

From the amended Construction and Use, 2003

(5) A person does not contravene a provision of this regulation if, at the time of the alleged contravention -

• (a) he is using the telephone or other device to call the police, fire, ambulance or other emergency service on 112 or 999;
  ( he is acting in response to a genuine emergency; and
  © it is unsafe or impracticable for him to cease driving in order to make the call (or, in the case of an alleged contravention of paragraph (3)(, for the provisional licence holder to cease driving while the call was being made).

Chris

Docackastan mafia if you ask me, just carry an Uzi at all times, it's more accurate than an AK47.

Erm i'd beg to differ:rolleyes:.

Glad you are ok M8:thumbup:

As far as im aware you do not have to stop for an unmarked police vehicle for the very reason stated by the OP and other possible offences by impersonators. If you are ever in doubt ring 999. They will then tell you if the police vehicle behind is genuine. Then you can stop. Either that or if you do not have a mobile drive to nearest police station or stick to speed limits drive safely/sensibly and wait for marked vehicles to arrive. It is most forces policy to bring in marked vehicles for FTS' as they are more visible to the general public.

Carl:thumbup:

I do sincerely hope they do this to an unmarked though - and that the judge would make an example out of them.

Enough fun on the roads as it is.

If unsure, keep moving within limits. A cop car will pass you, and a rear sign will instruct you.

Keep doors locked at night, and only open the window enough to pass a cig through in order to talk to the copper. Ask for a warrant card, and if you feel threatened ask if you are able to follow them to a more busy public place or nearest police station. Many coppers will not object to this.

Bro-in-law's a copper

Sorry to hear about this

Saw this attempted on one of those police reality shows recently, it was a battered ol' renault 19 chavved out turbo thing that had strobes fitted into the headlights. Cant remember the area but apparently its getting worse, availability of equipment etc.

The gits ran off, so the car got towed, lol.

You just cant have nice things :(

You can get those bloody blue LEDs in Halfords in the 'chintz' or 'tat' section alongside those chrome wiper blade covers and LED fluffy dice. Took a wrong turn past the oil once and ended up in there, I'm still in therapy for it...........

The Halfords ones can be adjusted to blink, flash and alternate at varying speeds to the users requirements. Of course stuff like this is rife on the fleabay so don't be surprised to see it more often in the future.

Be on your guard and if in doubt don't pull over. If they REALLY want to speak to you then surely a marked unit would be asked to join the fun?

If they REALLY want to speak to you then surely a marked unit would be asked to join the fun?

Before or after your tires get shredded by a stinger? lol

Right some advice from a cop friend on what to do if in the same situation:

The following is advice for anyone who feels vulnerable was she (or he) to

stop. In many cases there may be several of you in the vehicle or you are

confident you can deal with the situation, in which case this advice may not

be for you.

An unmarked police car can stop vehicles, but it must contain a constable

who MUST be in uniform in order to carry out the stop.

If a car flashing for you to pull over or stop is unmarked, unless you are

100% certain it is the police, do not stop. Drive steadily to the nearest

public place (for example a petrol station where they are open till late, a

police station or somewhere there are a lot of people) and then stop. If you

are in a relatively deserted area, as a last resort, consider looking for a

house that is obviously occupied and pull into the driveway. (You can always

apologise to the householder afterwards.)

Try and signal that you have acknowledged the request to stop and indicate

the action you are taking (put your flashers on or signal by pointing from

the driver's window etc.). Don't drive off at great speed making the police

think you are trying to get away.

Keep the doors locked until you are happy it is the police. Have your mobile

at hand just in case. You can ask to see a warrant card, which should carry

a name and photograph, through the closed window.

Incidentally, if you are suspected of drink/drugs driving none of these

actions would invalidate an officer giving you a preliminary screening test

as you have only temporarily interrupted your journey and are still driving

for the purposes of that law.

When I patrolled in plain cars we were always in full uniform and could

quickly put my white Traffic Officer hat on if drivers showed any sign of

doubt and we were advised to be extra careful when stopping lone females.

I suspect that the best signal you can give to any person trying to stop you

is a simple hand wave to indicate that you want them to follow you. A

genuine copper might be puzzled but will soon understand what you are doing.

Hope that is helpful to someone else, i do have a card on me that i can hold up to coppers if ever pulled over and most know what it means when i show it

There has also been a spate of lorry jackings up north where criminals have been installing those dot matrix signs in the parcel shelf and claiming to be from VOSA, however VOSA used livery vehicles and if in doubt call your local police station who will know in advance if its a genuine VOSA stop check or not.

Kinda what I said

Whats on the card?