Man Frisked By Pretend Undercover Officer In Elmont: PD

ELMONT, NY — A Queens man was arrested after he frisked another man while pretending to be an undercover officer in Elmont on March 17, Nassau police said.

Mitchell Robi, 32, of Little Neck, approached a 25-year-old man at Mobile Gas Station, at 101 Hempstead Turnpike, and told him he was an undercover police officer who was off-duty around 10:30 p.m., police said.

Robi began searching inside the man's sweatshirt and pants pockets, police said. He then opened the passenger side door of the man's car and moved some items that were on the floor of the vehicle, police said. After the man asked Robi to produce police identification, Robi drove away in a red Nissan Altima, police said.

Robi was arrested at 6:55 p.m. Tuesday without incident after an investigation, police said.

Robi was charged with second-degree criminal impersonation and was scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday at First District Court, at 99 Main St., Hempstead.

Detectives request anyone who feels they may have been the victim of a similar incident to contact the Fifth Squad at 516-573-6553 or Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.