Crime

‘Fake Cop’ Arrested After NM Police Say He ‘Pulled Over’ an Undercover Detective

A bizarre tale is coming out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, as police claim that a man pretending to be a cop accidentally pulled over a real detective and was given a misdemeanor citation for his actions. But the man, Tyree Appleberry, denies these claims and says he was merely trying to ask the undercover policeman a question.

Appleberry was given the citation for impersonating a police officer following the incident last Wednesday. He was then arrested for an outstanding warrant that existed for a separate incident (he had previously failed to appear in court for a reckless driving offense).

The story goes like this: Police claim that Appleberry, 42, turned on strobe lights on his White Chevy Tahoe and attempted to stop the undercover cop’s car. But Appleberry claims that he wasn’t impersonating a police officer at all.

According to Fox News, he says he was, “…asking the driver why he was in the parking lot next to an auto auction yard where his friend works.” In an interview with KOB4-TV, Appleberry describes his version of the story:

“At no time did I say I was a cop, did I pretend to be a cop, did I badge anybody. At no time did that happen.

I was picking up a friend of mine from her job where she works security. While I was waiting, a vehicle pulled up along the outside gates.

I turned in behind the vehicle and the vehicle immediately took off at a high rate of speed.

I pulled up behind him like kind of still in the roadway and I turned on my strobe lights and I asked him who he was. He said he was a cop. I said, ‘OK anyone can say you’re a cop but do you have ID?’”

Then, he says the cop showed him an I.D., but no badge. Before he knew it, Appleberry claims he was being taken away in handcuffs. In examining the incident, it seems both sides’ stories line up.

While Appleberry may have had no intention of trying to make himself look like a cop, his actions — stopping the cop with a strobe light and getting out to question the driver — may have led the undercover detective to think otherwise.

An unfortunate incident, indeed.

(H/T: Fox Nation)

Comments (57)

1 2
  • Brainmuffin
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:52pm

    Sounds like someone’s cover was nearly blown.

    Report Post »  
    • azjeff1963
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 5:03pm

      GLASS HOUSES….if your going to go question another ones reason for being on premisis….you should first make sure your own house is in order…lol…..efen wantabe rent a cop.

      Report Post » azjeff1963  
    • loriann12
      Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:20am

      Are strobe lights standard equipment now? How do you even get strobe lights for a vehicle?

      Report Post »  
    • darkrage000
      Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:36am

      first, strobe lights on a car are illegal, period (called a flashing light – laws only allow blinkers to flash)
      All other forms of flashing lights are reserved for law enforcement and emergency vehicles.

      Second, WHO does this guy think he is to question ANYONE about why they are there? Its a business, but obviously not THIS Idiot’s business.
      to pull up behind someone with flashing lights and demand to know who they are is either an attempt to intimidate, or an attempt to imitate someone in authority (owner of lot, police, security, etc).
      I don’t care that his Girlfriend works there, HE obviously does NOT.

      Report Post »  
  • WTFGOV_ENUF
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:34pm

    thug wanna be a cop. question, “Are you a cop”? No then great, I will beat your @ss for trying to be one and lets see where that gets you. I am no LEO, but I support them and the work they do, I don’t need this wanna be thug out there possibly trying to pull over my wife and impersonating a LEO. Pull me over for some crap like this, you better be a cop and be packing, if not your SOL!

    Report Post »  
  • Attention2Detail
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:16pm

    Impersonating a police officer requires that you in some way identify yourself as a police officer. I’m not sure having strobe lights meets that requirement. Just because you think a guy is acting like a cop doesn’t mean he is trying to make you think that. The detective was just upset that whatever weird thing he was doing was interrupted. The outstanding warrant is a different matter altogether. You‘ve got to be pretty dumb to push the guy after he tells you he’s a cop if you have something to hide.

    Report Post » Attention2Detail  
  • SanDiego
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:09pm

    If you see something suspicious call the cops. Do not take the law into your own hands.

    Report Post »  
  • Sy Kosys
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:53pm

    Fine then…toss out the misdemeanor, go forward with the outstanding warrant

    I’m happy

    Report Post » Sy Kosys  
  • Junter
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:49pm

    In California there is a vehicle code against mounting strobe lights to a non-safety vehicle.New Mexico, I’m not sure

    Report Post »  
    • cessna152
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:12pm

      In California everything is “the law” except the things that really matter…

      Report Post » cessna152  
    • Av8tor056
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 8:25pm

      In NM it depends on what color they are. The only strobes or Hideaways allowed for non public safety vehicles is amber. Even then, those may not be inside the Headlight housings. Commercial and utility vehicles may have light bars but they may not be Red/Blue. Amber/Blue is ok in some counties though. Any Grill Lights, Dash Lights, Deck Lights, or Visor Lights must not be Red/Blue. Volunteer fire fighters have to follow their county laws for vehicle lighting on POVs; some allow it some do not.
      So if this guy had white strobes in his headlight housings that is considered impersonating a police officer in NM.

      Report Post » Av8tor056  
    • SanDiegoCountyCitizen
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:24pm

      Thanks for the NM VC info, Av8tor056. Pretty much the same in CA. Red, White or Blue strobes are not legal, even though I’ve seen plenty of construction guys in their private trucks with white strobes… I don’t have much of a problem with that, since it’s for their safety when parking near the freeway.

      Report Post » SanDiegoCountyCitizen  
  • sillyfreshness
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:36pm

    Those strobe lights on his SUV certainly give the impression it could be a cop car. So, you go chasing a car, turn on your strobe lights to get them to pull over, then ask what you’re doing, that does seem like he’s trying to act in an official sense like a cop. I wouldn’t want this guy chasing me with his strobe lights on. In fact, I don’t know of any cars that have strobes like that on them except cop cars.

    Report Post » sillyfreshness  
  • breedofthe45
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:25pm

    He will have his day in court.

    Report Post » breedofthe45  
  • Jamesjim
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:09pm

    Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Stupid beyond stupid…MORONS!

    *note the ‘S’.

    Report Post »  
    • ACLUHater
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:16pm

      Once a felon…

      Report Post »  
    • crazedbanshee
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:29pm

      If he wanted to get the car to pull over why did he turn on the strobe light, unless he knew that is how cops get people to pull over?

      An individual impersonating a cop can be extremely dangerous for the victim. Who knows the motives of an a person falsely taking on a position of authority.

      Report Post »  
  • AIDANMAN
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:58pm

    Boobily

    Report Post »  
  • swankyc
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:54pm

    LMAO! Best laugh today. Thanks.

    Report Post »  
  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:53pm

    Ha Ha Ha

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
  • eric6161
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:38pm

    I might believe this guy is innocent. I also believe that I’m average; therefore I believe a jury of 12 would also feel this guy was innocent. If I were him I’d ask for a jury trial. As a juror I would want to put myself in the shoes of a female who was pulled over via strobe light. Sometimes a guy has a good alibi but it just doesn’t pass the smell test. A jury should be able to sort through it all.

    Report Post »  
    • Dougral Supports Israel
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:47pm

      Why does he have a strobe light on his vehicle? What use are they to the average driver? Are they even legal? Questions abound.

      Report Post »  
  • drago
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:37pm

    What i dun did ?………

    Report Post »  
  • dadsrootbeer
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:34pm

    He got the idea from the fake president we have now.

    Report Post » dadsrootbeer  
  • garbagecanlogic
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:01pm

    Look what race had the largest percentage of it’s voters that voted for Barry Soetero!! Nuff said.

    The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
    The U.N. Out Of The U.S.

    Report Post »  
  • RABMAN1
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:59pm

    I feel that this man isn’t lying. Why would he come forward, clearly explain his perspective, and risk being harrassed by the police even more over a misdemeanor? That doesn’t make much sense.

    Report Post »  
    • swankyc
      Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:49pm

      “I feel that this man isn’t lying”

      Where exactly do you feel that? What does it feel like?

      Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:44pm

    Obama’s a pretend President… so maybe he work at the WH as pretend Security.

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:43pm

    Add this to the stories that are completely made up.

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • Tusker
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:39pm

    Great! I bet this one procreated about 6 or 7 young’ns just like him. Idiot!

    Report Post » Tusker  
  • chips1
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:36pm

    My opinion is based only on the info contained in this story and It shows that the person was observent and has every right to find out if something was amiss. The public is the first line of defense against criminal activity. More people should question suspicious behavior. Good for him.

    Report Post »  
  • jrcess
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:33pm

    He just was a poor ole Keffer. LOL

    Report Post »  
  • commonsenseguy
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:17pm

    i his a police officer, he is not god, he must follow all rules and regulation that civilians do, yes, you can question a peace officer,{ he might not like it } i am not supporting appleberry, but he does have the right to question the officer as to what he was doing blocking the business gate after hours, no he can not use a strobe lite to stop him, but he can walk up to him and ask any thing he would like to a peace officer, { again he might not like the reaction of the officer, but he can ask } and besides how stupid can you be to stop a peace officer and have a warrant pending, what a dolt.

    Report Post »  
  • Constructionist
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:14pm

    This man obviously did nothing wrong. Many ne’er-do-wells in society wear the ubiquitous ‘dew-rag’. This man is clearly wearing a ‘didn’t-rag’, which proves his innocence.

    Report Post » Constructionist  
  • I.Gaspar
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:11pm

    Musta been the hat.

    Report Post »  
1 2

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love