OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida teen who wanted to impress his girlfriend stole his uncle’s deputy uniform, gun and patrol car, picked up a friend, pulled over a speeder and called in another police agency over a convenience store disturbance, authorities said.
Isael Ibrain Lima, 18, broke into his uncle’s locked bedroom while he was away for a few days and went on to impersonate him.
Lima later admitted he did it to impress his girlfriend, the Ocala Star-Banner reports .
Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy Yoandy Miranda, returned from his trip Sunday and noticed that his locked bedroom had been broken into and someone had been in his patrol car. He reported this to Sgt. Bobby Levay, who realized he had met a “Deputy Miranda” the day before when Lima, in his uncle’s uniform, reported a convenience store disturbance.
Also responding to that call was an officer with the Belleview Police Department. Miranda and investigators reviewed that officer’s body camera video and identified Lima, who had introduced himself to Levay as an off-duty Deputy Miranda.
Lima, who lives with his uncle, later admitted to detectives that he put on the uniform, including Miranda’s handgun and other equipment, and drove to his girlfriend’s house to impress her, according to police reports. He also picked up a friend who recorded him pulling over a speeding driver and issuing a warning. Detectives later obtained the video.
“I don’t think this man realized the danger he put himself in by trying to impersonate a deputy sheriff,” Chief Deputy Robert Douglas said in a news release.
“Our deputies undergo extensive, ongoing training to be able to do their job safely. Ensuring public safety and trust are our priorities and this is why we take this type of crime so seriously,” the chief deputy said.
Lima is charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer, motor vehicle grand theft, grand theft of a firearm, openly carrying a prohibited weapon, theft of law enforcement equipment from an emergency vehicle, burglary of a conveyance, armed burglary of a dwelling and giving a false name to a law enforcement officer.
Lima was arrested Monday and was being held at the Marion County jail. He declined an interview request from the Star-Banner.