The men were reportedly wearing police uniforms and brandishing batons.
Police in the UK have launched an investigation after a woman claimed that two men impersonated Metropolitan Police officers in order to enter her home, Metro reports.
The woman involved said that the two men were wearing police uniforms, protective vests and were carrying batons when they knocked on the door of her Barking flat.
According to Metro, she asked them to produce police ID and they weren’t able.
The men allegedly fled and residents of the building chased after them. According to reports, one of the suspects brandished his weapon. The woman then called 999 and police attended the scene.
Officers were unable to track the men down.
The Met has since shared images of the men taken from video footage of the incident. They have appealed for anyone with information on the men to come forward.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Met said: “Unfortunately, there have been occasions when fraudsters have posed as police officers, both in person and on the phone, to trick people into giving them personal information and defraud them of money.
“If one of our officers contacts you in person, they’ll show you their police warrant card. This is proof of their identity and authority.”
The spokesperson added: “Remember if you’re unsure about whether the person you’re dealing with is a genuine police officer – stop – and call us on 101 to check their identity. In an emergency always call 999.”
The incident occurred amid renewed concerns about women’s safety and the Met Police’s use of identification.
The recent trial of Wayne Couzens found that he used a warrant and handcuffs to kidnap Sarah Everard before murdering her. Couzens was a serving police officer at the time of Ms Everard’s death.
Recently the Met Police attracted significant backlash after advising women to “wave down a bus” if they are concerned they are being detained by someone impersonating a police officer.
