Drivers are being warned to make sure actual police officers are pulling you over before you stop. It comes after several incidents in Baton Rouge where up to four men are using blue lights to stop drivers under the pretense of traffic stops and then robbing them at gunpoint.
Officials say there were multiple armed robberies that took place Wednesday morning, Dec. 28th in the Baton Rouge area that involved four suspects, who were using a vehicle to pull citizens over and robbing them of their personal belongings. Plus, Unfiltered with Kiran has learned there were additional incidents on Dec. 23rd & 24th.
According to Baton Rouge Police, the suspects pulled over at least five separate vehicles by flashing their headlights or possibly using a blue flashing light.
Around 1:30am on Dec. 28th in the 1200 block of Choctaw Dr., a woman told officers she was driving when a white Ford Explorer flashed its lights behind her for her to pull over and stop. She did just that. She told police that three people got of the Explorer armed with guns and came up to her vehicle. One of the men tried to open her car door but could not because the doors were locked. When she tried to drive away, she said the driver of the Explorer tried to block her in to keep her from leaving but she still was able to get out.
Around the same timeframe, a man told officers he was also on Choctaw Dr. when he thought he was being ordered to pull over by an officer in a white SUV with a TX license plate. That’s when two people went up to the vehicle, opened a door and told the man to “show me your hands.” He was robbed of his wallet and the victim was able to get away.
Then around 2:15am, officers responded about four miles away to the 5000 block of Byron St. The victim told officers that a white Ford Explorer started flashing blue lights behind her. Assuming it was the police, she pulled over. That’s when four men got out of the Explorer, all armed with guns and told her to get out of her car. One of the men opened her door and pulled her out by her hoodie. He then allegedly stole her purse from inside the vehicle. All four men then fled in the Explorer.
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The vehicle, a white Ford Explorer, that police said was used in the robberies was recovered unoccupied in the 1500 block of North 23rd Street.
The men are believed to possibly be the same suspects involved in very similar incidents from Dec. 23rd and 24th but in a different white SUV.
On Dec. 23rd around 6pm, three men in a white Volkswagon Tiguan got behind a vehicle and flashed some blue lights in the 2400 block of Gayosa St. When the victims pulled over, they were robbed at gunpoint, specifically, with a rifle.
On Dec. 24th around 9am, another victim reported being pulled over by the same vehicle near Cain St. and N. 26th St.
Anyone with information on these armed robberies is asked to contact Baton Rouge Police at (225) 389-2000 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.
Reminder: if you get pulled over at night and the vehicle that is attempting to stop you isn’t identifiable, turn on the vehicle hazard lights, drive to an area with sufficient lightening and dial 911. The Dispatch Operators will be able to assist the driver with information.
It was young black males. We can stop these games now.