The suspect was in possession of an Israeli Border Police uniform and other police objects.
Photo: Israel Police
Arab poses as Israeli police to extort Palestinians
Suspect posed as Israel Border Police officer and 'arrested' Palestinians, demanding money for their 'release.'
A Palestinian resident of the Al-Ram neighborhood in East Jerusalem was arrested on Tuesday on the suspicion he posed as an Israeli Border Police officer, "arrested" Palestinians, and then blackmailed them for their "release."
According to initial reports, the Palestinian man, around the age of 40, had an Israeli police uniform identified with officer tags, a military vest, a radio, and a report pad for issuing fines.
Israel Police items found in possession of the suspect. (Photo: Israel Police)
The West Bank police unit said he adopted a fixed pattern: He stopped Palestinian drivers in different places and threatened to issue a traffic ticket or illegal residence report.
The Palestinian man then extorted individuals, asking for sums that sometimes reached thousands of dollars in order to prevent him from issuing the report.
The Israel Police noted that the Police Investigations Unit had received several complaints by Palestinians who claimed that an Israeli Border Police officer hit them and demanded money. From the descriptions, it became clear that they were speaking of the said Palestinian suspect.
The complaints filed will be transferred from the Police Investigations Unit to the Judea and Samaria District Police.
The police discovered that the suspect was also being sought for questioning in relation to various robbery offenses that took place in the West Bank.
