Crete Police seeking man impersonating officer in attempt to lure people

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The Crete Police Department is sending a warning out to residents about a man impersonating an officer.

In a social media post Tuesday, police said a man has been calling people and introducing himself as “Detective Sergeant Mike Watson.”

“I mean, I was shocked,” longtime Crete resident Odelia Ramos said of when she found out about the impersonator.

The man has tried to lure at least one woman to “provide a handwriting sample” as part of an investigation, according to police.

The department is concerned that the man presents a “safety risk given that he is attempting to lure people to him.”

Anyone who receives a call from the impersonator is asked to call police at 402-826-4311.

“We would ask everyone to report the suspicious call to the police department,” Police Chief Gary Young said. “But first, don’t comply. Don’t agree to meet anybody anywhere that you don’t know.”

Ramos wasn’t targeted and said she knows all the officers on the force, so she won’t fall victim.

She said she has complete faith in Crete police to find whoever may be trying to hurt or scam her neighbors.

“I have my full confidence,” Ramos said. “What’s going on, they know how to control it, and public safety-wise, I’m 100% confident that they’re going to protect us.”