A Man Dressed Like a Cop Abducted and Sexually Assaulted a Woman

Edmonton police are on the lookout for a man who abducted and sexually assaulted a woman while pretending to be a police officer.

In the early hours of Sunday, June 4th, a woman was driving on a major street in Edmonton when she saw flashing red and blue lights coming from a newer model Nissan Rogue in her rearview mirror. The woman pulled over to the side of Anthony Henday Drive and watched as a man who looked and acted the part of a peace officer get out and walk to her car. He was wearing what seemed to be a "Peace Officer's uniform, navy blue in color."

When there he told her to get out of her car and into his.

"The female complied with the male, who was dressed in a uniform, assuming he was a legitimate officer," reads the EPS media release. "The male suspect allegedly threatened the complainant, implying that he wouldn't proceed with criminal charges if she performed sexual acts on him."

The fake peace officer then drove the woman and himself to a separate location where he sexually assaulted the woman before driving her home. When in the car, on the way home, the woman was able to break out her phone and get some video of the man, an action that Edmonton Police, in a press conference, called "very brave." During the press conference, as reported by the Edmonton Journal, Staff Sgt. Barry Fairhurst said the woman believed the man was a police officer the entire time.

"Based on her respect for the authority and the police, she at no time felt she was able to leave and walk out," said Fairhurst. "She was trying to be respectful to the authority, which is also very concerning for us as police that someone is presenting this power, this authority to public and is using it falsely."

Fairhurst added that there are some ways to tell if a police officer is fake such as if they don't ask for insurance or identification, don't have a workstation in their car, and that they must tell you why you were pulled over.

Police said they don't believe that the woman was targeted and that they have received several tips into the suspect's identity.

Follow Mack Lamoureux on Twitter.