Provincial police are asking for the public's help finding an RCMP officer's badge that was stolen from a vehicle southwest of London.
The Mountie's wallet and badge were snatched from the vehicle parked on Young Street in Delaware around 4:30 a.m. on Monday, Middlesex OPP said.
"We don't want anyone going around impersonating a police officer using that badge," said Constable Kevin Howe. "We also want to notify the public in case someone comes across the discarded wallet, somewhere in the woods or on a pathway so they are aware that we are looking for it."
Howe stressed anyone caught carrying the badge could be charged with possession of stolen property. Using the badge to impersonate a police officer also carries stiff penalties as it is a criminal offence. If convicted of impersonating a police officer, an individual can be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined $5,000.
There have been at least five reports of people pretending to be police officers pulling vehicles over in southwestern Ontario since April. In each case, an unmarked vehicle equipped with a flashing red and blue light bar on the roof was used to stop drivers. No police badge was seen during these encounters. Two people have been charged in connection with two of the incidents.
Anyone with information about the stolen police badge is asked to call Middlesex OPP at 1-888-310-1122, Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or RCMP at 519-645-4329.