Man arrested after allegedly impersonating Fla. officer during robbery

Security video shows the man, wearing a fake police badge, entering a hotel room; he is accused of claiming to be an officer, handcuffing a woman inside and stealing her wallet

October 20, 2024 06:00 AM

By Cristóbal Reyes
Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. — Georgia authorities last month arrested a man wanted in an August armed robbery at an Orlando hotel on International Drive police said he did while wearing a fake law enforcement badge.

Trending

Hunter lost in cold, rainy woods for 20 hours is found in bay, North Carolina cops say

Search and Rescue

Hunter lost in cold, rainy woods for 20 hours found in bay, N.C. cops say

Pender County first responders used drones in cooperation with a K-9 team to find the man in the woods

November 24, 2024 08:00 AM

Off Duty

Ill. firefighters and cops face off in bowling competition

The Bowlero general manager came up with the competition as a way to thank Naperville first responders

November 24, 2024 07:00 AM

Deer hunter helps troopers arrest fugitive on first day of hunting season, MI cops say

Arrests and Sentencing

Deer hunter helps Mich. troopers arrest fugitive on first day of hunting season

The hunter called 911 when he spotted a man “looking suspiciously” at his ATV; the man turned out to be a suspect in a dangerous hit-and-run

November 24, 2024 06:00 AM

Durham officer shoots, injures teen at a reported racing event early Sunday

Officer-Involved Shootings

Suspected street racers throw objects at N.C. police cruiser before officer-involved shooting

The Durham Police officer fired at a juvenile suspected of throwing the objects after the teen raised a firearm

November 23, 2024 08:00 AM

The Orlando Police Department announced 27-year-old Michael Rodriguez’s arrest Thursday as it awaits his extradition after a warrant was issued Oct. 2. Rodriguez, who faces the armed robbery charge along with impersonating a police officer to commit a felony with a weapon and false imprisonment, was also wanted by police investigating an earlier similar crime in Palm Beach County.

“Because the suspect is facing charges for similar crimes in at least two Florida cities, the Orlando Police Department is encouraging anyone else, who may have been victimized by the Rodriguez, to contact law enforcement,” OPD said in a statement.

The agency said its investigation into him began Aug. 23 after a woman reported he forced his way into her hotel room while wearing the fake badge around his neck, claiming to be a cop. According to police, he handcuffed the victim, who noticed a gun in his waistband, before stealing her wallet.

Hotel surveillance video released from that night showed a man who looked like Rodriguez walking up a hallway and entering a hotel room shortly before leaving the scene as cleaning staff worked nearby. Police said other video was used to identify Rodriguez’s car, which they believe was seen visiting other Florida cities that month including Lantana, where police investigated another armed robbery.

On Sept. 8 , police in Gwinnett County, Georgia, arrested Rodriguez, who was charged there with making terroristic threats, according to county jail records. Orlando detectives then visited Gwinnett County to search Rodriguez’s vehicle, where they said they found the fake badge, handcuffs and a gun, according to the OPD press release and evidence photos released to news outlets.

Jail records show Rodriguez, from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., has a warrant for his arrest from New York but it’s unclear what charges he faces there or which agency issued it.

OPD encourages anyone who may have been victimized by Rodriguez to contact law enforcement.

—

Arrests and Sentencing Crime