HOWARD BEACH — A man who was riding his ATV on the streets of Howard Beach told police he was robbed of $900 by a Brooklyn man pretending to be a police officer, according to a criminal complaint.
Edwin Maldonado told police he was stopped by 34-year-old Walter Faison, of 597 Warwick St. in Brooklyn, as he rode his ATV on Cross Bay Boulevard, the report showed.
Maldonado said Faison and another unapprehended suspect allegedly stepped out of their black Ford SUV wearing bullet-proof vests, badges, radios and what appeared to be firearms holstered on their belts, court documents showed.
The two men then allegedly told Maldonado they had been following him for several blocks and that he could be arrested for operating his off-road vehicle on public streets and asked to see his driver’s license, according to police.
Maldonado pulled it out of his pocket, along with the approximately $900 wrapped around it, and then the unapprehended suspect allegedly took both the money and license from him, retreating to the SUV to “run” his license, according to the complaint.
After returning Maldonado’s license, the two men allegedly made off with the cash, though they apparently had a change of heart as Maldonado’s sister told police they later showed up and handed her about $180 they said Maldonado had lost, the report said.
Faison was arraigned Feb. 11 on charges of grand larceny and criminal impersonation.
