Fake police officers reported breaking into homes

DETROIT (WJBK) - Bars now cover the windows of a home hit by robbers. Terry Baker is thankful his stepson's girlfriend is safe after that potentially deadly encounter at 2 a.m. Monday. At least four men wearing shirts that said 'Police' on them stormed a house on Detroit's east side.

They kicked in a window air conditioning unit, and then demanded the woman open the front door. When she did, they rushed inside, forced her to the ground and robbed her.

"Something bad could have happened to his girlfriend," Baker said. "He was at work and they had a gun to her head. Something bad could have happened over what, a laptop, a couple dollars. It isn't worth all of that."

One day earlier, Sunday, six men wearing military style jump suits with shirts that said 'Police' robbed a home in the 17000 block of Winston on Detroit's west side. One of them had an AK-47 and the other a shotgun. They stole cash and credit cards and drove off in a Ford Taurus.

Sgt. Mike Woody from Detroit police is encouraging those who encounter the crooks posing as cops to comply with their demands and not to fight back.

"Everybody has to make that personal decision for them," Woody said. "I just don't want to see anybody make a bad decision and get hurt injured or even worse killed."

Police don't know if the robberies are connected but they are not ruling it out.

So what do you do if you find yourself in this situation?

"If you think it's the real police or you're not quite sure, you have the right to ask for ID," Woody said. "You have the right to ask for a search warrant behind indicating all the things they are taking from your home.

"I am telling you right now, these perpetrators, all six of them, we're looking for you, we're coming for you and we're going to catch you. There is no doubt."

Most cops will wear their IDs behind their badges and they're required to show it if you ask for it. Police say it's really important for victims of crime to be good witnesses and get information about the suspects like what they look like, and what kind of car they drove away in.