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New Jersey Police Warn Of Carjackings By Fake Cops On Turnpike

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - New Jersey State Police don't want the public to be alarmed, but they say there have been recent carjackings by people posing as undercover cops along the New Jersey Turnpike.

Police said the victims may have been targeted, meaning they may not have been random acts, but still want drivers to be aware.

Carjackings On The Turnpike

There were two carjackings in May alone.

Police said the suspects were said to have driven a white Ford Fusion with a flashing light. One of the men allegedly would get out wearing a tactical vest and then approach the victim's car with a gun drawn.

After forcing the driver out of the car and on to the ground, the impostor cops then allegedly stole the car.

A Jeep Cherokee was taken on May 16 around 8:30 p.m. near Linden.

A Chrysler Pacifica was taken in another incident near Newark on May 26, where the suspects also drove a Range Rover.

Police were also looking into a related incident, some kind of interaction on May 31 on the Turnpike.

A trooper in uniform intervened when plain clothes Bergen County Police officers conducted what seemed to be legitimate traffic stop, state police said. That is still under investigation.

State police say that if a plain clothes officer pulls you over and you are suspicious of him or her, you should call 911 and tell the dispatcher that you want a uniformed officer in a marked unit to respond.

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