Fake Deputy Sought In San Mateo Supermarket Incident
SAN MATEO (CBS SF) -- A man dressed as a sheriff's deputy was being sought after attempting to gain access to a supermarket's cash office, according to police.
Witnesses told San Mateo Police a person wearing a tactical-style uniform with San Mateo County Sheriff Office shoulder patches and duty belt entered the Safeway at the Crystal Springs Shopping Center on November 24, claiming he was investigating a theft.
A store employee told the uniformed man there had been no theft but the man insisted on interviewing someone in the store's cash office, according to police.
The worker refused the request and became suspicious; the man eventually left the store, police said.
An on-duty San Mateo County Sheriff's deputy also responded to the scent along with San Mateo police officers, and confirmed that the man was not a deputy after viewing surveillance footage. The deputy also confirmed the sheriff's office was not investigating a theft at that Safeway, police said.
Detectives are now trying to determine whether the incident is related to an attempted robbery at another San Mateo Safeway located at 1655 El Camino Real, on Nov. 18, police said.
In that incident two men entered the store at around 9:30 p.m. and physically detained a female employee and held her at gunpoint, demanding she open the store's safe.
When the suspects discovered that none of the store's employees knew the combination to the safe, the suspects fled without taking anything.
Police described the suspect as a white male, mid 20's, 6'00", thin build, with dark-framed glasses. Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information on the case was urged to contact San Mateo Police.
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