Alleged fake cop with a box of porn arrested
AUBURN, Wash. -- Seemingly putting to rest any notion he is a criminal mastermind able to rob park-goers while staying one step ahead of the law with naught but a fake badge and box of porn, Ryan James Purdy was arrested Wednesday for allegedly impersonating an officer in a series of robberies dating back to December.
According to the Seattle Police Department, officers finally caught up with the 46-year-old Purdy, aka Tracy Byers, when he bragged to a fellow bus rider in Auburn that he was wanted by police for impersonating a cop.
The passenger promptly got off the bus and called 911, according to police. Purdy was arrested a short time later and booked into jail.
The search for Purdy started in December when he allegedly robbed a handful of people in Seattle's Volunteer Park using a fake badge.
According to police, Purdy would tell victims he was an undercover cop working an operation in the park and ask to see their wallets and ID. He would then remove credit cards before handing the wallets back, according to police.
Most recently, Purdy was suspected of using a box of pornographic magazines strategically placed in Seattle's Woodland Park as a misdirect before claiming to be an undercover officer in order to pat down and rob his victim.
According to police, Purdy pointed out the box of porn to another man in the park. When the man took the box of porn back to his car, claiming he wanted to keep it out of the reach of children, Purdy followed him and performed his fake cop routine, according to police.
Fools around every corner!
Perhaps a search of where he lives will yield bus schedules which can be used as evidence. Â Actually can't help feeling a little sorry for this guy. Â His genetic inheritance seems to have been an IOU. Â
@JustAnotherMo Again?
If you have to write another article about this guy, please use the phrase "box o' porn" from now on. Thanks!Â
So he doesn't live on Capitol Hill but was going there to commit crime? Wow, that is original. (not)
You have the right to remain silient. No you have the right to remain silent.Â
Bigmouth Strikes Again...
He looks like Anderson Cooper! LOL!!!  I love the wording in the first paragraph -- cracked me up!
That is NOT Jamie Moyer.
Seattle Police Department's newest recruit, officer purdy; A match made in heavenÂ
@BuddyHolly   BWAH HA HA HAAAA....Shut up!
mastermind bragged he was wanted by police - masterful
I'm sure there will be a string of copy-cat crooks who will pretend to be cops by wearing fake uniforms, using fake badges and putting lights into the cars to make people think they are unmarked patrol cars and pull people over.
This just underscores the reason we need to ban no-knock warrants and when the police show up at your door or pull you over get on your cellphone to 911 and verify their name and badge number as being real.Â
where is officer Burke?
@V You mean Birk? Probably trying to assemble his own box of porn and looking for some Native American to scam with it.
Just another lowlife looser and nothing more. Glad they caught him. He should be sentenced to 3 years of "Chain-gang" garbage pickup in our public parks since he likes them so much.Â
@Seahawker  "loser" : )
I don't think he was as much of a "criminal mastermind" as his victims were a little less than average in the intelligence department...The last story of the guy in Woodland Park made me wonder how in the heck did this guy get anyone to fall prey to him...but unfortunately sense is not too common anymore.
@aintno1special I have to agree with you; no one in their right mind would fall for a cop asking to see someone's wallet, let alone accepting it.
@Tim Lane Or maybe if some random guy asks you to go check out a random box of porn, then when you put it in your car flashes a badge and asks for your ID because he is conducting an undercover drug sting...I don't know you might question something...or is it just me?