Largo Man Arrested Twice For Falsely Personating An Officer In As Many Days
Posted: March 21, 2016
A Largo Man was arrested twice in the past few days for personating an officer
Todd Jeffrey Blumencranz, age 35 of Largo, was arrested in the morning of Saturday, March 19, 2016. Reports indicate that Blumencranz approached a citizen in the area of the Madison at Largo Apartment Complex located at 601 Rosary Road. This is the same apartment complex where he resides.
He introduced himself to a citizen as Todd Miller, a Narcotics Deputy with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) according to arrest documentation. He asked the citizen to follow him out to his undercover, unmarked cruiser.
He began asking the citizen if they saw or heard anything suspicious in regards to recent auto burglaries in the area. For his actions, he was arrested by an officer from the Largo Police Department and stated he did not really have a reason for doing this except wanting to look cool and beyond that there was no other reason.
Blumencranz also admitted to falsely personating a PCSO Deputy before in an attempt to receive a discount for a hair cut. He is facing charges of Falsely Personating an Officer which is a 3rd Degree Felony. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail at 12:20 PM on Saturday, March 19, 2016 and was released later the same day at 3:24 PM after posting a $5,000 bail.
The following morning on Sunday, March 20th, Blumencranz attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling in the 15700 block of US Hwy 19 in Clearwater. He was traveling in a 2007 silver Nissan (FL Tag BMNI13) with tinted windows and a red flashing light on the dash according to arrest documentation. The woman he was attempting to pull over was driving a 2015 yellow Ford Mustang. Both the woman and her passenger assumed he was a police officer as he pulled behind the woman at a high rate of speed.
Blumencranz once again was arrested by an officer from Largo Police Department. He admitted to following the Mustang at a high rate of speed over 100 MPH. He is facing charges of Falsely Personating an Officer which is a 3rd Degree Felony. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail at 9:11 AM on Sunday, March 20, 2016 and was released later the same day at 6:16 PM after posting a $5,000 bail.
If a vehicle attempting to pull you over is not a clearly marked police cruiser you should slow down to indicate you are not trying to get away. Signal your intent to pull over but only do so when you can find a well-lit, public place with other people around, such as a shopping mall parking lot. Ask for credentials while staying in your vehicle, keeping your doors locked and only crack the window enough to pass your driver’s license, insurance card and registration through.
If you have concerns about the traffic stop immediately dial 911. Tell them that you have been pulled over by someone who claims to be a police officer but that you think he might not be a real law enforcement officer. Give them your exact location and stay on the line.