Copy cop: Chinese con man makes home look like police station in elaborate scam
A con artist in China allegedly created a fake police station in his home as part of a scheme to sell falsified documents to gullible victims. The imposter was exposed by his disgruntled girlfriend, who tipped off the real officers of the law.
The man named Lei accumulated a collection of clothing, handcuffs, stun weapons and even a siren for his personal car to emulate an inspector of the Chinese Public Security Bureau in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province.
Chinese man builds fake police station, pretends to be cop for 2 years http://t.co/OXVbfDpQwrhttp://t.co/Ep5PP6lqFSpic.twitter.com/Q9fJ73y6eo
— Haidi Lun 伦海迪 (@HaidiLunCNA) July 20, 2015He was running the scam for at least two years before the real police got to him, reported the Guardian, citing local media. Over that time he ‘promoted’ himself from captain to major.
“With his disguise he was very deceptive,” said Tang Hui, the real-life cop tasked with investigating the imposter.
Chinese toddler gets 3D-printed titanium skull implant
Lei, 35, was exposed by his girlfriend named only as Tingting by the media. She wanted to leave the phony cop, but he blackmailed her by threatening to upload a sex tape of them online. The girlfriend turned to the real police for protection and the operation was busted.
'Ello, 'ello, 'ello. Chinese conman builds fake police station at his home to trick victims http://t.co/fajvkLS2VRpic.twitter.com/4NVHdGlzXd
— Tom Phillips (@tomphillipsin) July 20, 2015Tingting said her friend warned her that Lei was a scoundrel and womanizer, but she refused to believe the person until the last moment.
At his home the police discovered a fake interrogation room complete with a national flag and a bust of Mao Zedong as well as surveillance equipment, fake uniforms and a GPS tracker. The latter he used to track his girlfriend, he told the officers during questioning.
