Lake County deputies investigate armed robbery by suspected police impersonator

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an early morning armed robbery involving a suspect who may have impersonated law enforcement.

What we know:

According to deputies, the incident occurred around 5 a.m. Thursday along County Road 48 in Yalaha. A man driving to work told investigators he noticed a white sedan parked on the roadside that later pulled behind him and activated what appeared to be flashing blue lights inside the vehicle. Believing he was being stopped by police, the victim pulled over near County Road 48 and Lime Avenue.

The driver of the white sedan — described as a Black male about 6 feet tall, dressed in dark clothing and a ski mask — allegedly approached the victim’s vehicle, pointed a handgun at his head, and demanded his phone and money. The victim complied, and the suspect fled toward Leesburg.

Without his phone, the victim drove to a convenience store to report the crime. A responding deputy said the man appeared visibly shaken but was not physically harmed.

The suspect’s vehicle was described as an early 2000s model white sedan with no distinct features.

What we don't know:

Investigators are working to identify the suspect and are urging anyone with information to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 352-343-2101 or CrimeLine at 1-800-423-TIPS.

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