Fake police officers threaten to arrest a real police major.

Wearing borrowed police uniforms that hadn't been returned for a performance, two employees of a mental health rehabilitation center impersonated police officers, conducting undercover inspections of cafes and forcing owners to treat them to meals and drinks. The owners were even forced to invite the two "policemen" to "entertain" young women.

One day in late November 2013, the police in Thai Hoa town (Tan Uyen district, Binh Duong province) received a complaint from residents about two individuals wearing police uniforms who showed many signs of fraud. 

Accordingly, at a car repair shop in town, two customers wearing police uniforms appeared, introducing themselves as working for the Binh Duong Provincial Police. Seeing their uniforms, the shop owner trusted them and didn't charge for the repairs. In the following days, these two "policemen" kept visiting. Worried about potential trouble for his business, the shop owner invited the two "policemen" out for drinks.

The two "police officers" continued to visit a series of cafes in Thai Hoa town. At each place, they introduced themselves as: "We are from the Binh Duong Provincial Police, here in Tan Uyen district to check on the security and order situation, and to supervise the work of the district police," and demanded to conduct administrative checks at several establishments. 

To gain the shop owner's trust, the two "policemen" gave him their phone numbers and instructed him: "One number is mine, and the other is the number of the Chief of Police of Tan Uyen District. If the local police cause any trouble, just call my number, and I will come down to resolve it. As for the Chief of Police's number, don't call it unless absolutely necessary; just call my number." 

Enthralled by the enthusiastic "assistance" from the two provincial "police officers," the restaurant owners blindly believed them, taking turns inviting the two distinguished guests out for drinks to "establish connections" and ensure "peaceful business operations." 

Posing as police officers, these two individuals extorted money from shop owners. Eating and drinking, visiting prostitutes, and offering money as a sacrifice.

Even after a drinking session, many bar owners would "arrange" for their waitresses to go to hotels to provide "full service." "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile," the two men repeatedly made demands, suggesting the bar owner take them to more upscale bars with prettier waitresses.

Not stopping there, the two suspects brazenly went to My Hiep neighborhood, stopping people's motorbikes for administrative checks. Seeing their uniforms, many people mistook them for real police officers and offered them bribes.

Unable to meet the increasingly demanding and arrogant demands, and noticing many suspicious signs, the residents reported the matter to the Thai Hoa Town Police. In the early morning of December 7, 2013, the Thai Hoa Town Police arrested two suspects while they were eating noodle soup. 

The identities of the two suspects have been confirmed as Pham Quoc Chi (born in 1990, residing in Hamlet 9, Tan Lap Commune, Dong Phu District, Binh Phuoc Province) and Nguyen Minh Nhut (born in 1991, residing in Ben Tre Province). 

Major Huynh Van Huong, Head of the Town Police, said that upon receiving the report, the police immediately planned an investigation. “I used an unknown number to call the two suspects, but they cursed at me. A little while later, they called back to my number, arranged a meeting, arrogantly identified themselves as provincial police officers, and threatened to ‘arrest everyone if they had any further questions’,” Major Huong recounted. 

The two suspects are employees at the Tan Dinh Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (Tan Dinh commune, Tan Uyen district). Taking advantage of their days off, they conspired to wear police uniforms to scam people. Their victims were usually coffee shop owners, with the intention of being invited out for drinks and free prostitution. One police uniform was rented for a performance, and the other was borrowed from their cousin.

Chí's parents are from Northern Vietnam and migrated to Southern Vietnam a long time ago to start a new life. Although their family life was difficult, they still tried their best to provide Chí with an education. Chí, in particular, had a talent for performing arts and singing. After finishing 12th grade, Chí served in the military and then attended a basic nursing course. In mid-2011, Chí applied for a job at the Tan Dinh Mental Health Rehabilitation Center. After several rounds of interviews, he was accepted for employment.

A few months later, Nhut was also hired at the center. According to his resume, Nhut was the only son in a farming family. During his time working there, Nhut and Chi had not committed any offenses, so the incident of impersonating police officers surprised their colleagues.

A representative from the Center's Board of Directors stated: "Both of them were doing their jobs well, showing no signs of financial hardship or excessive drinking. Recently, Chi was offered a chance to attend a vocational course in social welfare. He was resting and preparing for enrollment when the impersonation of a police officer occurred." 

The case has been transferred from Thai Hoa Town Police to Tan Uyen District Police for further handling and investigation...