HOUSTON – A man who was pretending to be a police officer is wanted after attempting to solicit women into his vehicle at a local women’s shelter, according to court documents.
Robert Cleophus White, 73, has been charged with impersonating a public servant, docs show. The incident was reported on July 31 at Star of Hope, located at 2575 Reed Rd.
Recommended Videos
It was reported that a man driving a black Cadillac SUV was attempting to solicit two women into his vehicle for an exchange of money, according to court records. The women approached a Star of Hope employee, complaining that an older man came up to them offering money to get inside his vehicle. When the employee approached the SUV, she asked if she could assist him and he allegedly told her that he was waiting for someone.
According to court docs, she told White that he could only park where he was for 15 minutes and then he would need to move. He allegedly told the employee that was a police officer, showed her a gold police officer badge in his wallet and said he was doing his job. The employee reportedly saw police lights inside his vehicle and asked if he was at the location for a warrant and he told the employee that, “he didn’t have to tell her and told her to drive away and that this was a police matter.”
The employee went inside the shelter to let workers know to not let the man inside the facility, according to records. White reportedly got out of the SUV and tried to enter the Star of Hope building but was denied and the employee told him that only residents have access to the building and that she would not let him in. White continued to try to enter the building but the employee refused. He allegedly pulled out the same gold police badge in his wallet to show the employee several times while saying he was a police officer who works at the Star of Hope and that she must open the door for him.
According to records, the employee called Houston police officers as White continued to stay on the property for 30 to 40 minutes.
Responding HPD officers stopped the SUV near the Star of Hope and the suspect told officers that was was picking up and friend and told them that he never said he was a police officer nor did he show the employees a badge, according to records. One of the officers reportedly saw White in possession of a gold Fort Bend County Constable Precinct 2 Advisor’s badge inside his wallet, which matched the complainant’s description as the gold police officer badge.
After investigators reviewed the responding officers’ bodycam video, White was identified as the suspect involved and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Anyone with information on White’s whereabout is asked to call the Houston Police Department.