A woman accused of posing as a police officer and extorting money from a driver she stopped for speeding was arrested on Friday.
Halton Regional Police said a woman allegedly forced a man to the side of the road in the early morning of Sept. 12 and screamed at him for speeding, before claiming she was a police officer and demanding he pay a fine.
The 59-year-old Oakville man, who was on his way to work when he was stopped near the intersection of Lakeshore Road and Bronte Road, was told she was not required to show identification.
Police said she then demanded the man pay his speeding fine on the spot. When he told her he didn't have enough money with him, she accompanied him to an ATM where he paid her an undisclosed amount of money.
While she was not dressed in an officer's uniform, police say her demeanor and questions led the suspect to believe she was a police officer.
A man who was driving the woman at the time of the incident has not been identified.
Halton police Sergeant Brian Carr said the suspect was captured on video at the ATM location.
"Surveillance proved to be very vital in this investigation," Carr said Friday.
"It's not an ongoing grift, nor do we believe it has happened previously. This was a one-time occurrence."
On Oct. 1 an investigation by the Oakville Criminal Investigation Bureau led to the arrest of Pamela Donovan, 48, of Oakville.
Donovan has been charged with impersonating a peace officer and extortion.
The accused will appear in Milton court on Nov. 16, 2010.
