POLICE are warning people to be vigilant of persons pretending to be police officers.

There have been a number of incidents in the area — most recently near Bideford, Holsworthy and Tavistock — where women appear to have been targeted by one or two men driving a vehicle at night. The vehicle caused the women to stop by activating a blue light on the roof and also small blue lights in the front grille of the car.

The drivers were then approached by two men wearing hoodies and scarves to conceal their faces.

In one case they were said to shout: ‘It’s the police — get out of the ******* car!’

Luckily the drivers realised they were not real police officers and drove off.

One lady, who was stopped between Torrington and Bideford, thought quickly and locked her doors from the inside as one of the men tried to pull her door open.

The police do use unmarked cars with blue lights in the grilles and it is thought the suspects in this case may also have a blue light they attach to the roof. Their car was described as dark, possibly black and the men had deep voices with no accent.

Police are very keen to identify these men before anything serious happens. If you see a car with what appears to be lights in the grille or a blue light inside a car ready to be put on the roof, please report it immediately to allow officers to check it’s a real police vehicle.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting crime reference number CR/064739/16.