Hunt for two men who ‘impersonated police officers to enter woman’s home’

In viral footage, two men ask to search a property in east London

Two men are thought to have impersonated police officers to gain entry to a woman’s home before fleeing when asked to show ID.

Police are searching for the men who are seen dressed in “crude” uniforms, including caps and batons, in a video posted on social media.

The woman who reported the incident says they showed up at her home in East London at 6.15pm on Tuesday claiming they were there to search it.

They were allowed into the residential block in The Shaftesburys, in Barking, before residents became suspicious and asked them to show their IDs.

In the video, the woman can be heard saying “show me your face” before one of the men appears to try and grab her phone.

They then try to leave the block, pursued by angry residents as one of the men appears to speak into a radio attached to his ‘uniform’.

One of the men accuses the woman of selling cannabis and then gets on his radio to say she is “stalking him” down the road.

The two men then sprint into the distance as residents shout after them.

The incident comes just weeks after murderer and serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens was jailed after using his police identification to abduct 33-year-old Sarah Everard in Clapham.

A Met Police spokesman said: “We are aware of a video circulating on social media filmed in east London appearing to show two men impersonating police officers.

“Police were called at 18:51hrs on Tuesday, 12 October to a residential block in The Shaftesburys, Barking IG11.

“A woman reported that two men had attended her address. They were claiming to be police officers and were dressed in crude uniform including caps, harnesses and ‘asps’ (batons) and said they were there to search the property.

“They were initially allowed in before the residents became suspicious and asked to see their identification, which they could not produce.

“Upon being further challenged the suspects left the address. They were followed and fled in the direction of Abbey Road.

“Officers attended and conducted an area search but the males could not be located.

“It is not believed that anything was stolen from the address and there were no reports of any physical injuries. An investigation is ongoing. There have been no arrests at this time.”