Man Arrested For Impersonating a Fire Marshal

Suspect talked his way into police station and left with a weapon

Friday, Jan 28, 2011 | Updated 7:58 PM EDT

Man Arrested For Impersonating a Fire Marshal

FirefighterNation.com

Police say a man has been arrested on charges he impersonated a fire marshal, talked his way into a police station, and made off with at least one weapon.

The man, Ronald DeShields, is being held at Rikers Island and it wasn't clear if he had an attorney.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says DeShields took at least one police weapon from the 105th Precinct in Queens on Jan. 15. He later returned the weapon to a 90th Precinct gun buyback program and got $100 from the department.

He was charged with possessing stolen property. Police say he was also suspected of taking a second weapon missing from the same precinct; that gun has not been located.

Kelly says DeShields has a long history as a convincing law enforcement impostor.

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