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Investigation into possible cop impersonator in St. Petersburg area

Posted at 5:27 PM, Oct 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-28 17:27:34-04

There is an open investigation in Pinellas County for a man possibly trying to impersonate a police officer in the St. Petersburg area.

Chris Hubler, took a Facebook live stream as he followed a man seconds after trying to pull him over.

"It looked like he was going behind cars to run tags," he said.

Hubler said the undercover style car then came behind his vehicle.

"He started flashing his high beams and a spotlight on me."

Hubler tells ABC Action News he started to pull over, and when he did, the man drove next to him where he said he was a cop.

"Then he just whipped a U-turn."

That's when the St. Petersburg man started a Facebook live stream while his friend called 911 and they followed the man down 5th Avenue North.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office tells ABC Action News they responded to the report of a man impersonating a law enforcement officer.

"They found a badge in his car, they found a handcuff key, a cage (it) was weird," said Hubler.

Deputies with the sheriff's office would not confirm the things found, but said the items in the car were questionable, but not illegal.

The sheriff's office did not make an arrest because they were unable to determine the intent, but they tell us the case was sent to the state attorney's office.

Hubler's concern is his Facebook post, revealed possible other victims being pulled over by the same vehicle.

"Hey, if I had a badge, and I drove around in my car and tried to pull people over, I guarantee you I would be in jail that night," said Hubler.