Joseph Austin said he was talking with friends on Maisel Street in Baltimore when three men who he thought were Baltimore police officers arrested him.
The men, who wore silver badges hanging from chains around their necks, frisked Austin and removed $700 from his pockets. They placed him in handcuffs, put him in the back seat of their vehicle and drove off.
There was one problem with the arrest ? the men who took Austin?s money weren?t actually police officers.
The real city police have charged Carl Minor, 33, of Baltimore, a state prison guard, with theft and impersonating an officer.
Charging documents in the case allege the following occurred: On Nov. 3 at 8 p.m., Baltimore police received a call to Annapolis Road and Kent Street for a robbery.
Austin, of Baltimore, told police he and his friends were talking when a silver car pulled up and three males got out and approached Austin, who believed they were plainclothes officers.
The men searched him, took $700, handcuffed him and placed him into the vehicle.
They transported Austin to an area near M&T Bank Stadium, then released him, saying that “if he didn?t obey them, he would be arrested for 10 years for having too much money.”
But Austin realized something was suspect, memorized the license plate of the men?s car and quickly called police.
Police tracked the car to Minor and, after an interrogation, arrested him.
They also found a key piece of evidence in Minor?s front right pant pocket that allowed him to fool Austin ? a work badge that read “Maryland Corrections.”
