Man Who Posed As Cop in Series of Robberies Arrested: Miami Police

Luis M. Fumero facing several charges, targeted illegal immigrants and elderly victims: Police

A Hialeah man who targeted and stole cash from illegal immigrants and elderly people while posing as a police officer has been arrested on several charges, police said Monday.

Luis M. Fumero, 23, is facing a number of charges including armed robbery, armed false imprisonment, falsely impersonating an officer and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony following his arrest on Aug. 20, Miami Police said.

Fumero was being held without bond Monday, jail records showed. It was unknown whether he has an attorney.


A police report released Monday said Fumero is behind at least three recent incidents where people were robbed.
 
The first incident happened June 24 when Fumero, driving a gray Ford Explorer pulled up to a home in the 1600 block of Northwest 1st Street and approached two victims, the report said.

Fumero was wearing a white T-shirt, brown camouflage cargo pants, black boots and police badges around his neck, on his left breast pocket and on his right belt strap, the report said.


He identified himself as a police sergeant and told the victims to put their hands on the vehicle as he searched them and took out their wallets, the report said. Fumero didn't let the victims leave and kept his hand on his gun the whole time, the report said.

After looking at the victims' identifications, Fumero said they were illegal and said he was going to arrest them for drinking if they didn't pay him, the report said.

One of the victims said "Fine arrest me" and added "As you saw in our wallets we don't have any money," the report said.


Fumero made the victim's wife give him $200 and Fumero gave the victims back their identifications and fled, the report said.

The second incident happened on July 25, when an elderly victim arrived home after taking out $4,000 in cash from a bank to pay for house repairs.

According to the report, Fumero pulled up to the victim's home in the 1800 block of Southwest 10th Street in the gray Explorer and got out wearing a police badge around his neck and a black gun holstered on his hip.

Fumero ordered the man to put his hands on his car and remove everything from his pockets, the report said. He counted the cash and told the victim it was drug money and at one point took out his gun and pushed it against the victim's stomach, the report said.


When Fumero started to leave in his vehicle, the victim took off after him but wasn't able to catch him.

The third incident happened Aug. 18, when a man who had been out having dinner arrived home and was approached by Fumero who drove up in the Explorer and pointed a pistol at him, the report said.

The victim was ordered out of the car then ordered to lie on the ground by Fumero, who identified himself as "undercover police," the report said.

Fumero took the man's wallet and said he had to check him in his computer in his car. When he came back, Fumero said there was an immigration issue and the victim would have to pay $575 in fines on the spot, the report said.

The victim refused to pay the money, saying he would pay in court, but Fumero took $556 out of the victim's wallet and said he still owed him the rest, the report said. 

At one point, Fumero told the victim's cousin that he would tow his car unless he paid $250, the report said. The cousin said he didn't have the money but could pay in the morning.

Fumero left and came back to the home later that day and confronted the victim about the rest of the money, the report said. A witness was able to take a photo of Fumero and his car, which helped police find and arrest him, the report said.

Miami Police there may be more victims of Fumero and are asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

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