Gatineau police have arrested two Montreal-area men in connection with “ongoing fraud” involving the impersonation of police officers.
In a release, police said they were called Tuesday at about 11:50 a.m. to Érablière Street, where officers were told a person claiming to a police officer was attempting to seize bank cards from citizens.
The victims were told the “police” were investigating a fraud and the cards would be returned.
Gatineau police confirmed Thursday that the suspects were not in police uniforms.
Suspicious citizens alerted the real police, who arrested Gabriel Godin, 19, of Saint-Eustache, and Thierry Décembre, 20, of Terrebonne.
The suspects were taken to the Hull police station to be interviewed by investigators. They appeared in court on Wednesday to face charges of:
- Impersonating a peace officer;
- Fraud;
- Possession of substances for the purpose of trafficking;
- And possession of property obtained by crime.
They were remanded for trial.
Seized during the arrests were 253.7 grams of cocaine, 121.4 grams of crack cocaine, 7,960 amphetamine tablets, $1,796.85 in cash, two cellphones, a laptop and other consumer items.
Gatineau police said they received several dozen complaints in February involving fake police calls.
Police in Gatineau and elsewhere urge residents who are approached in person or on the phone by someone claiming to be a police officer and saying the person has been the victim of a crime to call a police station to double check.
