Charlotte, N.C. - US Postal Inspector's Stolen Unmarked
Car, Blue Lights, and Badge, used in Armed Robberies
Government jacket and hat also taken
KYTJA WEIR
Jan 23, 2006
An official government jacket, hat and stolen car decked with flashing blue
lights became the tools of a group of robbers Monday.
The unmarked U.S. Postal Inspection Service car was reported stolen in
the afternoon from the 2300 block of Yorkmont Road near Charlotte/Douglas
International Airport in western Charlotte, police said.
The car later appeared in northern, then eastern Charlotte as the thieves tried
to wield their newfound symbols of authority around town. Inside the car was
an official hat and jacket with badges emblazoned upon them.
In the afternoon, a group of men jumped from the car on Horne Drive in
northern Charlotte, with its lights flashing, said Charlotte-Mecklenburg
police Capt. Keith Dinkins. They were wearing the stolen clothes, he said.
They tried to rob some people on the side of the road, he said. The victims ran.
Then around 5:15 p.m., two men used the car's lights to pull over a vehicle
on Timber Hollow Drive off Central Avenue in east Charlotte, Dinkins said.
This time, they robbed two men, then drove away.
A routine police patrol spotted the car around 5:30 p.m., Dinkins said, bringing
in authorities to surround the robbers. But when they got to the stolen car, he
said, the robbers were gone.
Tips to Avoid a `Blue-Light' Bandit
Police don't have a detailed description of the suspects in Monday's incident,
but are investigating.
If you are concerned about the legitimacy of someone trying to pull you over,
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Capt. Keith Dinkins offers the following advice:
• Stop your vehicle in a well-lit, safe area where other people can see you.
• Keep your windows and doors locked. If the person asks to speak with you,
crack the window only slightly and ask to see a photo identification, not just a
badge.
• If someone wearing plain-clothes refuses to show you identification, call 911
and explain the situation, asking them to dispatch an officer to your location
immediately