Sri Lanka Police have warned the public of an increasing number of robberies being committed by individuals impersonating police personnel, and have urged the public to take all required precautionary measures.
Accordingly, Sri Lanka Police revealed that despite the increasing number of robberies being committed by persons claiming to be plain-clothed police officers and subsequently carrying out certain ‘inspections’, such inspections are not carried out by plain-clothed officers unless they are attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) or any other special unit.
Even in such instances, however, the police noted that all officers are required to produce their official police identities prior to any such search, emphasising that all members of the public have the right to ask that such proof of identification be produced.
Further, they stated that if such search operations are to be conducted, the public will initially be made aware of the matter, prior to the search.
The public were also urged to inform their nearest police station in the event they are suspicious about such concerns.
